Inca Babies – Ghost Mechanic Nine
Frontman Harry Stafford (guitar, keys, vocals) returns to the raw guitar sound that differentiated Inca Babies’ 1980s output, supported by Rob Haynes (drums, percussion), Jim Adama (bass), and Kevin G. Davy (trumpet). Ghost Mechanic Nine, their latest album, is an ongoing exploration of post-punk rhythms, dark atmospheres, and rough storytelling. The album begins with the title track, Ghost Mechanic 9, which establishes a streetwise vibe with groovy guitars and vocals characteristic of an urban skid row experience. The song’s musical “color” is raw and addictive, providing an intriguing opening to the album’s ideas of alienation and rebellion. The second track, Insect Symphony, triggers the power of The Birthday Party while also remembering The Smiths’ energy. From the opening bass chord, the song catches the listener’s attention with a strong performance. The interplay between bass and guitar drives the song forward, producing stimulating speed. Overall, the album has an angry and even frightening tone, motivated mostly by ideas of isolation and social alienation. This attitude is strongly expressed in the lyrics of I’m Stayin’ Put, which paint a picture of internal exile and paranoia:
“I’m safe and warm in my concrete box.
I’m safe and warm in my sound cabin.
Safe and alone, a lone a lone alone, alone!
There’s a bad world outside the door!
I’m staying put in this hollow house.
I’m staying put in this hollow house.”
The song builds a strange, claustrophobic mood.
“And there’s a scratching on the door,
There’s a shadow on the floor.
A hot breath in the crisis.
A pause in the static hiss.
There’s a substance leaking through the door.
Smells like petrol, an accelerant on the floor.”
These alarming lyrics, along with the band’s aggressive sound, provide an exciting listening experience. Ghost Mechanic Nine is an exciting, darkly atmospheric album that continues to keep loyal to the Inca Babies’ post-punk start while pushing their sound into new, undiscovered musical geography.
Photo Credit: photo by Simona Masoni
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