Pitchfork

Some of the most critically acclaimed Manchester bands have tended to be, shall we say, uncheerful. Like, it's probably safe to assume Joy Division, the Smiths, and the Fall never took home "most enthusiastic" trophies at their soccer teams' end-of-the-year pizza party. Also hailing from England's "capital of the north," young comers the Answering Machine mask their unease in the bright, C86-informed guitar work and cheery backing shouts recalling Cardiff's deliriously good Los Campesinos! on second 7" "Silent Hotels". (B-side "It's Over! It's Over! It's Over!" even has the exclamation points.)

Without losing steam, "Silent Hotels" shifts from the overt Strokes/shambling hybrid of first single "Oklahoma" to a more satisfying, catchy and direct account of breaking hearts and coming to grips with life in the city-- something to put on playlists after the Wombats' "Moving to New York". When the Answering Machine vocalist/guitarist Martin Colclough admits, "I drink till I'm sick," the rest of the band gleefully agrees: "You're sick!" As for the video, it's an understated, split-screen montage of performance footage and shots of the band traveling. Now if only they could help me change my voice-mail greeting.

[from the "Silent Hotels" 7"; due 6/18/07 on High Voltage]