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Jun 3, 2014The music might be slightly quieter simply because it isn't amplified, but it's not any gentler than his usual stuff. By contrast, Osborne seems to be going out of his way to make these recordings as combustible as possible.
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May 30, 2014Across 17 tracks with titles like “Dark Brown Teeth,” “The Blithering Idiot,” and “Drunken Baby,” Osborne delivers concise down-tuned ditties full of booming vocal melodies and bizarro humor.
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MagnetJun 18, 2014This Machine Kills Artists is definitely lengthier than need be, but if this album has an intended accomplishment, it's further illustrating the expanding range of Osborne's songwriting abilities. [No. 110, p.59]
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Jun 3, 2014Song-wise, it’s as damaging and heavy and dark as anything he’s put out prior, and sneakily supports the idea that Osborne is no one-trick pony.
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The WireJul 14, 2014Without a doubt these are good songs, and Osborne's vocal is always ear grabbing. But I'd love to hear the full band versions they deserve. [Jun 2014, p.55]
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Jul 8, 2014Pithy where Melvins might have sprawled, Osborne’s solo songs still amount to M-80s lobbed at convention with reckless abandon and cockeyed aim.
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Jun 13, 2014Despite the warts, This Machine Kills Artists is a solid outing. And, perhaps because of the all acoustic setting, it may be the most consistently accessible thing Buzzo has ever done.
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Alternative PressMay 30, 2014All Osborne's vocal and instrumental hallmarks--including enigmatic lyrics and track titles--are in place, so it's not really a departure, but it's also too good to be shrugged off as for Melvins fans only. [Jul 2014, p.100]
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Jun 2, 2014On the whole, Osborne turned a confusing detour into an interesting wrinkle and a worthwhile addition to his massive catalog.
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Jun 4, 2014This Machine Kills Artists may not amount to more than an odd itch Osborne felt like scratching, but at least he scratches it with glee.
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Classic Rock MagazineDec 18, 2014At 17 tracks, it becomes a bit of a repetitive slog towards the end, but it's good to see that this old dog has just as much bite as ever when he strays. [Aug 2014, p. 209]
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Kerrang!Jul 22, 2014What we're left with is an overlong, quietly ominous strumming set showcasing his twisted genius. [14 Jun 2014, p.55]
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Jun 3, 2014Buzz’s riffing and attack give the songs enough personality to sound individual and prevent the album becoming an analogous mess.
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Jun 3, 2014This Machine Kills Artists is a worthy experiment, and a few tracks work rather well, but ultimately Osborne should aim for a more distinct game plan before he goes acoustic again.
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May 30, 2014On occasion, the bare bones, stripped-back effects don’t serve the songs quite as well... Still, this should delight the distorted ears of Melvins followers, though they may need to get used to turning the volume up, rather than down.
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Jun 24, 2014What we’re left with is an 8/10 EP stretched way past the point of interest, five or six songs in you start knocking half a mark off with every fresh coat of same-old. A worthy idea, but one you’ll rarely reach for twice.
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May 30, 2014It is an interesting experiment, but realistically most listeners will struggle to get past the first couple of tracks before reaching for their trusty copy of Houdini.