Automatic

Transmitter (Sony)
by Scott Hefflon

From the alternative music mecca of Ocean Grove, Australia, Automatic paint-by-numbers the sounds the kids just can’t enough of. Fluid, smooth, quiet transitions build to scratchy-voiced emoting, walls of distortion-washed guitars sprouting cracks of feedback, and driving drums that stitch the canvas together. Dark, heavy pop rock with tasty moments of indie rock guitar leads air-brushed clean of personality by homogenous sound and no melodies to grab your attention. Transmitter is Album-Oriented Rock in the sense that all the songs are pleasant, but nothing really stands out.