Portland, Oregon-based band TK & The Holy Know-Nothings’ excellent 2019 debut Arguably OK is followed by The Incredible Heat Machine – another signature mix of hard-boiled country rock, outlaw, and cosmic country they call “psychedelic doom boogie.” The band’s distinctive sound provides Taylor Kingsman (TK) and Co. the ability to deliver a range of big energy jams alongside quieter moments of contemplation while lyrically mixing elements of humor, realism and humanity. Quoting Kingsman, “I like to alternate between plain-spoken truth and fragmented visions of painfully vivid dreamscapes.” The 11-song collection that makes up the LP were recorded live straight to tape with no overdubs, giving the album a feeling of immediacy and cohesion. About the album, Kingsman continues, “The Incredible Heat Machine is a haunted jukebox on wheels and God’s own check engine light. It’s a locomotive composed of living parts linked by some buck-toothed telepathy allowing it to make it down the tracks where there is no final answer or destination, just movement and feeling.” Notable tracks include: the laidback opening number “Frankenstein”; the slow-winding “Hell of a Time”; the witty “I Lost My Beer”; the self-awareness on “Serenity Prayer”; the searching on “She Wonders”; the slow drag of “Just the Right Amount”; and the chugging song “Bottom of the Bottle.” TK & the Holy Know-Nothings’ The Incredible Heat Machine is an incredibly solid album with excellent songwriting and melodies that get the listener moving. TK & the Holy Know-Nothings keep getting better with each album! – Written by JFelton
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