Northern Life (Sudbury, ON) July 25th, 2003, p.10, by Mike Degagne

Hailing from Victoria, BC, Immaculate Machine like to label themselves as an alternative pop band, but after listening to their first release, The View, it’s easy to see that they’re much more than this overused cliché states. Debuting in March 2003, this creative three-piece band’s six track CD takes sounds from the last three decades and fuses them together to generate some truly appealing music. Borrowing from 80’s pop and 90’s mainstream sound, drummer and vocalist Luke Kozlowski, singer and keyboardist Kathryn Calder, and guitar and vocalist Brooke Gallupe formulate effective rhythms, lyrics, and sounds by incorporating certain fundamentals in to one full body.

While the final product may sound like pure “alt-pop”, it’s the small details in each track that make the sum greater than the parts without disregarding the “parts” altogether.

The opening track called No Caution harbours a pure, honest pop sound complemented by some light but grabbing synthesizer work. There’s a noticeable edge throughout this song, but it’s a smooth edge, with a hearty mix of strong vocals and O.M.D.-styled keyboard chimes. A compelling and potentpulse is steadily heard as well, balanced quite well by Gallupe’s guitar playing, which makes it the type of music that can be appreciated by all audiences.

On Midnight, Kathryn Calder’s soft, moody voice blankets the soothing tumble of the synthesizer, and the song immediately encompasses its intended late night mysteriousness. A brushed percussive background that delicately swims behind the singer helps along the song’s wonderful tempo. Again, the keyboards produce a unique ambience that is sadly becoming quite rare in most of today’s music.

The CD’s title track inflicts a mild ska beat that nips and nibbles its way through the song. Energetic vocals and an all-around bouncy musical skyline lifts The View into a modern sounding effort, all the while being stung by some quirky synth jabs added for colour.

Calder’s gorgeous voice stands front and centre on Secret Affliction, blending perfectly with the band’s instruments. There’s a strightforward pop feel that takes hold immediately on this track, with comparisons to bands such as Lost & Profound, Lone Justice, and even 10,000 Maniacs instantly arising.

The final track wields the same type of atmosphere once played by English bands of the early 80s new romantic movement like Lloyd Cole, Orange Juice and The Blue Nile. Chasing The Horizon’s synth-laden follow through is clean and pure, bringing a refreshing pop-polish all the way to the surface and weaving it in and out of the tracks entirety.