The Automatic

23 February 2006

Band form

2002

Five More One-Hit Wonders Of The Noughties

By Ed Biggs in Music / Festivals on 22 November 2015

Sandi Thom The Automatic Eamon Daniel Powter Estelle Afroman

A tribute to some of our favourite blink-and-you'll-miss-them superstars of the '00s.

Noughties one-hit wonder Sandi Thom recently got her name into the headlines for the first time in nearly a decade last week.

Sadly, it was not for reasons she would have wanted, as her tearful, expletive-strewn rant on Facebook went viral as she attacked radio playlisters for rejecting her new single ‘Earthquake’. Thom, now 35, had a chart-topping single back in 2006 with ‘I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)’, but has struggled to have anywhere near the same success since.

Image caption Sandi Thom, one of the best examples of a 'one-hit wonder' during the 2000s

Continue reading: Five More One-Hit Wonders Of The Noughties

Who Did Rihanna Record A "#Monster Hook" For?

By Lauren James in Music / Festivals on 12 September 2013

Rihanna Kanye West David Bowie The Automatic

The star has teased her fans with a cryptic tweet about a new release.

Rihanna has set her fans abuzz with excitement after the pop star posted a cryptic tweet before she heads of on her tour of Asia. "Just left the studio... Recorded a #monster hook for one of my favorite artists! And that's all I can give you... #NavyS**t," she wrote, prompting mass speculation regarding which artist she collaborated with during her London stay.

Rihanna Loves To Tease Her Fans.

The artist that springs to mind these days when anyone says "monster" is Lady Gaga: the 'Artpop' star is also known as 'Mother Monster' to her fans who are referred to as 'Little Monsters.' One of her world tours was called the Monster Ball Tour and she spends plenty of time dressed in horror outfits. Could Gaga be Rihanna's secret collaborator?

Continue reading: Who Did Rihanna Record A "#Monster Hook" For?

The Automatic, Tear The Signs Down Album review

By Sam Marland in Music Reviews on 15 April 2010

There was a time not so long ago, when you couldn't get away from the Automatic and their smash hit single Monster. It was everywhere pleasing some (them and their record label) and annoying many (the general public) yet it had to be applauded, to get that much air play on your first album as an indie band from a small Welsh town is mighty impressive and the stuff of dreams for most up and coming groups. Since then though its all been very different, the departure of annoying shouting keyboard player Pennie as well a split with B-Unique has seen the band form their own label and take a new mature direction. It's a brave move from the boys and one that allows them to make an album on their terms, devoid of extreme financial restraints and the artistic shackles often applied by labels.

The new found freedom certainly shows, out go the catchy chorus's and unstoppable hooks of Raoul, Monster and Steve McQueen and in comes a far heavier sound, a much more power chord driven formula that places its impetus on slow build up rather than sudden impact.

If their last album This Is A Fix was a step away from their early boyish sound, then Tear the signs down is a total departure altogether. Sure there are one or two tracks here with firm pop sensibilities, List, which boasts an 80s keyboards and an MGMT flavoured chorus over some heavy chord thrashing, is chart friendly to say the least. The same can be said of Cannot be saved, an anthemic belter that's sure to be a live favourite on their upcoming tour.

However it's in the shape of Something Else, screaming vocals and thrashing grunge guitars, that The Automatic show their full transformation off properly. High Time also finds the band in unknown territory with a far more mellowed approach, featuring violins and tempered guitars to impressive effect.

You get the impression the Automatics days of top 5 albums are past them, today's fickle world of music moves on quickly and a change of direction although much needed, can sometimes cause a band to lose what people loved in the first place. Still this feels like a fresh start for the Automatic and one that they will be hoping sees them taken far more seriously than in the past. And anyway, its on their terms this time.

Sam Marland

3/5