A common theme that I realised runs through The Dismemberment Plan’s 1999 album Emergency and I is that in every song, the verses never sound quite right. Upon first listen, there’s always an odd not being played or the rhythm’s always changing and coming down on the offbeat. They’re never played very normally. Then the choruses come in and your floored by how melodic and memorable they are. The hooks on this album are really unbelievably good, especially those in the more rocking, frantic numbers. ‘Memory Machine’ is one of my favourites on there.

I remember listening to the track for the first time hearing how the bass stops and starts with the erratic drum pattern in the back, and trying to make out what was happening. Travis Morrison mumbling these words underneath this rhythm section, then it’s suddenly a few seconds of just noise before he actually gets into the first verse. There’s a lot of anxious energy built up in those opening moments. But when that first chorus hit, all the lights seemed to switch on. From then on, it was somewhat easy listening. ‘A Life of Possibilities’ had left me intrigued, but it was ‘Machine’ that properly made me excited for how the rest of the album would turn out.

The song’s about wishing to be immortal while having all of our bad memories removed from our systems so we won’t be overwhelmed by them. Basically about being turned into robots, because if we’re our lives are being made easier by the innovations in technology, then why can’t we be machines ourselves? Travis Morrison brings up some good points in this song. But I also think he depicts the horror it would be if we were all turned into robots, the way he’s screaming the very first part of the song to the listener at the end. It’s a track that’ll make you think, but also leave you feeling very pumped up when it’s over.