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The Problem with the Soda Machine Jess Rowland, The Shape of Poison

Jess Rowland
The Problem with the Soda Machine
EDT4077

Pianist and multi-media artist Jess Rowland becomes singer/songwriter for The Problem with the Soda Machine, a collection of songs and improvisations based entirely on work emails about a vending machine in the company break room. All the lyrics are lifted from real-life confidential emails to human resources in regard to a company dispute about what to stock in the machine, or whether or not to keep the machine at all. In effect, the album represents an explosive psychodrama of unfolding human passion in the modern cubicle world. Interspersed between the songs are crunchalicious free-jazz explorations of unwrapping consumer items and popping bags of processed chips.
The Problem with the Soda Machine is the problem we all confront, every day and in every way - it is a universal human story, and a window into the deepest reaches of our psyches. This collection features Jess Rowland with an assortment of special guest musicians.

Listen to: Happy to Have a Snack Machine from Jess Rowland
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"Happy to Have a Snack Machine" (free mp3)

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"Absurdly lyrical, these beautiful tunes are arranged in a mixture of nightmarish Beatles and Pink Floyd circa Atom Heart Mother, and rendered with uncertain vocals that add a morbid appeal to the plot. But don’t expect stoned jams or else: there’s a considerable degree of finesse in here, and the record remains extremely and completely pleasant also after repeated spins."
Masimo Ricci, Temporary Fault

"Full of dramatic music with humorously ridiculous content–irony is the order of the day here. And tongue in cheek is the mode. Jess Rowland’s creativity and willingness to make music out of any subject is admirable."
-PGM, KFJC 89.7 FM Radio

Startling Moniker’s Top 12 Best Happy Neat-O List of 2008!
"This album is fantastic, and I’ve been listening to it quite a bit. There’s enough accessability here to attract a number of positive remarks from various callers, but still a healthy experimental basis."
-Dave X, Startling Moniker

"I suspect Scott Adams would have a giggle over this musical insight on cubicle world and the arrangements, especially Jess' piano and organ, are very well done."
-Richard Barnes, Sea of Tranquility

"The ’70s air sticks throughout the album, a kind of pleasantly poppy prog rock — not “prog” in terms of aggressive complexity, but in the breezy chords favored by Pink Floyd’s Rick Wright, for instance. When Rowland adds organ to the piano/bass/drums/guitars mix, it definitely tickles the prog cortex. Other songs carry a friendly, 1973 FM-radio air."
-Wedge, Memory Select
Jess Rowland - vocals, piano, organs, guitar, bass, snacks
Pete Stalsky - drums
Special Guests:
Jess Parsons - tambura, bass
J. Lee - sitar
Colleen Nagle - percussion, vocals
T he Soda Machine Singers: Marina Lazzara, Naia Venturi, Andy, Colleen Nagle
 
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