The Illusion is the debut album from Dream Machine, the group established by husband and wife team Matthew and Doris Melton, with Dillon Fernandez and Rudy Spencer. The Austin based band has created a sound that brings to mind some of the super groups of the sixties including The Doors, Iron Butterfly and Deep Purple, which are all influences as well. The entire album is unlike anything you will hear on your playlist now.
The first song “The Illusion” sets the stage nicely with a theatric musical introduction that is high energy. The organ is the first instrument that comes to the fore and makes its’ presence known in all the tracks. “The Illusion”, with Doris Melton singing lead, is the perfect rock song to begin the journey.
“Lose My Place In Time” could have easily been in a set list for The Doors, both with the music and lyrics.
A personal favorite is “Back To You”, an instrumental tour de force for the first two and a half minutes. It is pure rock and roll with a psychedelic vibe using the organ.
If it seems like Dream Machine is trying to harken back to simpler times, they are. Expands Matthew Melton, “The Illusion was mostly inspired by our observation of how people today are suffering under the spell cast by obsessively using social media and smart phones. We don’t take it lightly – Studies show that since the dawn of social media people have become increasingly unhappy, disharmonic, and dissatisfied with life, and it only seems to be getting worse. The whole basis of social media is conditioning people to receive their mental stimulation from an external device rather than from actual experience and it only seems logical that this will gradually desensitize us as we grow increasingly dependent on it, all while the truly meaningful moments of our lives fall by the wayside, increasingly interrupted by it.”
In fact, that’s why the band has rejected using Facebook, and instead keep everyone updated on dreammachine432.com. And we’re all for it. Melton’s advice? “Take a break, try turning the phone off for a day or two and spend some time with yourself and people you ACTUALLY care about. We promise you won’t miss anything.”
Track List:
1. The Illusion
2. Eye For An Eye
3. I Walked In The Fire
4. Buried Alive
5. Torn From The Hands Of Another
6. All For A Chance
7. Lose My Place In Time
8. Caught In A Trap
9. Nothing Left
10. Back To You
11. Weeping Statue
The Illusion is available for preorder now. Keep up with the band here.
