The Lost Millions – Pile Of Robots
The Lost Millions – Pile Of Robots – EP Review
I’ve always got time for some Alt-Psych stuff – let’s do this.
Looks like…the third record from The Lost Millions as far as I can tell…or at the very least, it’s their first full-length record since they dropped their album 101 back in 2017. They’ve got another EP called Novellas Dantes from 2019 in addition to this one I’m listening to now…which seems to be the sampler floated out there in the world of promotions, as opposed to the full set of ten songs that makes up the official lineup of Pile Of Robots. It’s out there & available now, so if you like what you hear or what I’ve got to say, you’re certainly encouraged to get out there online and go help yourself to a stream or two. They instantly get things sounding interesting to me through the controlled intensity of “Stuck In The Scene” as Pile Of Robots begins – I’m into it. While in some ways it’s a track that could certainly be regarded as very meat and potatoes…and I’d get that if it was your view – by the same token, there’s absolutely zero that can be taken away from The Lost Millions and the way a track like “Stuck In The Scene” is executed. It’s actually got a like…kind of Dandy Warhols-esque type of vibe to it if you ask me…maybe just a hair or two bolder than you’d normally find them in terms of aggression, or the true grit within the heights of the hooks they’ve got in this first cut. In any event, it’s a style & sound that definitely works for me, and the band itself is clearly built on bulletproof blocks through the combined musicianship of Matt Westfield (Vocals/Guitar), David Lines (Guitar), Heath McBurnett (Bass), and Scott Bettersworth (Drums). Make no mistake, these dudes can seriously play, and they make that fact known straight away through how they rip on through “Stuck In The Scene” so fluidly right from the beginning.
“Kush” is good…no real objections here either. I’m gonna advocate on behalf of the chorus before the verses…I like both, but the chorus at least gives you a bit of variation, whereas the verses are a bit on the ol’ matchy-matchy side of sound when it comes to what’s happening both in the music and from the microphone. I suppose you could also argue that “Kush” is a bit reliant on its main riff as well…which I’d say is true…but at the same time, it’s a stellar guitar part that’s bound to get some attention & probably deserves to be the highlight of this song overall. Regardless of which piece of the song grabs your attention the most, that’s still the actual objective reality – every part of “Kush” is likely to engage ya – it’s a track that’s built on flash & flare & catchy vibes…it’d be a strong candidate as a single to put out there. These dudes have a real grip on how to make their guitars stand out through the solos they add into their songs…good ideas on how to add the right effects & whatnot…the right levels of distortion or whatever they really need to keep ya fully entertained. From the sounds of things, The Lost Millions would definitely be one of those bands you’d listen to in a recording like this and instantly put on your list of bands you gotta see LIVE…they seem like they’d be one hell of a good time when it comes right down to it, and they’ve got a perfect understanding of how to go where their music seems to take them.
For myself personally, I’m probably more interested in a track like “My Phase” than I am in “Kush” – but if I’m being realistic on what the masses would likely be into, it’s probably the other way around. I’m not even all sure I know what it IS that would make me feel that way towards “My Phase” – I think I honestly just dig the balance of strengths on this tune to be real with ya. No weak points, and practically straight even across the board – no gimmicks, no major hook, no bullshit – if anything, the whole song is the hook, and that’s not a bad position to find yourself in. “My Phase” might not have that one piece that stands out like a song like “Kush” has, but in my opinion, that’s usually the difference between a single-worthy track and a cut that people come back to listen to a full album for – make sense? “My Phase” supplies the bench strength, whereas a track like “Kush” is gonna be the main star on the court; but where a track like “Kush” will likely wear out over time from people rushing to hear that riff, it’s a track like “My Phase” that is gonna go the distance in terms of longevity and endurance. I don’t think “My Phase” is gonna show any wear & tear at all throughout the years to be truthful – it sounds like it was completely built to last, and it’s an exceptional tune with a real slow-burning vibe to it. It actually reminds me a lot of something like what we heard on Slow Coda’s self-titled record last year, and that made our top ten list by the end of 2022. So there you have it…if you’re wondering what I think about a song like “My Phase,” I’d say I think pretty fucking highly of it, you follow me? Don’t get it twisted and don’t get me wrong…I ain’t the masses…I’m forever the exception and not generally the rule – I don’t think it would be fair to say everyone’s gonna agree with me in how I feel like “My Phase” is the best track in this sample set of five tracks I’ve got from Pile Of Robots, but it’s our differences that make the world go ‘round ain’t it? To me, this track is audible perfection…I love everything about “My Phase.”
You hear the vicious & menacing enormity of a track like “Wake Up” and you see that it’s just barely over the two-minute mark, and you know instantly that this cut is gonna be out to kick some ass & take some names. You’ll find no objections whatsoever from me – “Wake Up” is yet another perfect track from The Lost Millions…ultimately, they don’t seem to really make any mistakes that would be noticed by the ears listenin’ in. I mean…if there ARE any to be found at all, I know I ain’t hearin’em…to me, these dudes are makin’ music at a high level and unafraid to turn them amplifiers up when the situation calls for it. Again, I suppose the most you’ll find me conceding is that they bear strong similarities to other stuff I’ve heard throughout the years, but that’s true of most music…it’d be hard to take points away from everyone just for that reason alone. Ultimately, I don’t expect a whole lot that I end up listening to is going to be all that undeniably unique in the first place – so for myself personally, if it’s not gonna be that, I’m A-OK with perfect execution instead…at least for now. I think every artist and band eventually finds that completely inspired year or two somewhere along their evolution…but again, to be real with ya, it’s so much better when you hit that stride knowing you could walk before you ran. By the time The Lost Millions surges into their creative prime, they’ll have already proven to themselves through songs like these that they can write seamless songs & perform them flawlessly. T’ain’t nothing wrong with that dear readers, dear friends – especially when it sounds as good as “Wake Up” does. At the end of the day, I think they’ve put themselves in a great position with these songs…I could probably make an argument on behalf of any of’em being a single of sorts in their own unique way & the all-out attack they approach “Wake Up” with is definitely one of the easier cases I’d be making without a doubt.
From what I can see out there online…it looks like they’re rallying behind “Snakedriver” as the lead-single from Pile Of Robots. It’s a good choice…at least to me…but again, I am known to be a big giant fan of The Dandy Warhols, and this track more than any other carries that same specific style of good-good Alt/Psychedelic sound. So…you kind of have to look at things objectively when you find there’s a similar vibe goin’ on to something that reminds you of something else, you know what I mean? As in, The Lost Millions know exactly where the ceiling is right now based on what the Dandys have accomplished, and it’s very much up to them to find their way beyond that, if that’s what they wanna do. I’m a huge fan of The Dandy Warhols, and so are a whole bunch of other people around the globe too – and there’s also a massive argument to be made that they didn’t quite make it as far as they probably should have too. As to whether or not that’s THE same level of fame that The Lost Millions would want to reach, that’s what they have to kind of come to grips with…that’s the course they’re currently charting, but they’re still the ones in control of the ship if they wanna steer it another direction. There’d certainly be no shame in ending up with a Warhols-level of fame & recognition whatsoever…most bands would kill for that kind of attention. That being said, it’s rare to have such a distinct blueprint and roadmap to success too – The Lost Millions have their option of following it to the letter and acheiving something similar with their music and career, or tweaking something in what they do to take them even further. On the bright side of the scenario, it’s freakin’ great to have options & they’ve got plenty from what I can hear in these tunes. I dig what they’ve got goin’ on here and this sample set of five definitely has me wanting to have a listen to what else is on the full-length version of Pile Of Robots for sure…so if they were looking to entire us into that through a smart selection of cuts from the album, consider it mission accomplished.
Listen to more music by The Lost Millions at Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4peCe0rtipgoTMNH2PjiuP
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