Rubblebucket: Sun Machine Album Review

By Danielle Ortega
Local Music Journalist

Artist: Rubblebucket
Album: Sun Machine
Release Date: August 24, 2018
Website: https://www.rubblebucket.com/

Before Sun Machine I had never heard of Rubblebucket, but by now I have combed through the entirety of their discography. Sun Machine features a magnificent range of instruments, including an amazing horn section that gives the tracks a really rich texture. Sun Machine is not only a fantastic party album, but also a breakup album, as the band said that it is greatly inspired by the ending of an 11-year-long relationship between members Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth. It is something that you can use to build yourself up again after life-changing occurrences or that you can use to celebrate personal victories. All of these things were tied into the making of and inspiration for this album, and it shows greatly, making it very diverse with a little something for everyone.

Usually when I listen to an album there are always my obvious favorites and then a couple that I skip over, but Sun Machine is just so exciting and intriguing from start to finish that I honestly can’t bring myself to skip any of the songs. Tracks like “Donna,” “Lemonade,” “Party Like Your Heart Hurts,” and “Fruity” have a dreamy aspect to them that make me feel like I could be floating around in space or at some obscure club filled with bubbles and vibrant colored lights. The album then takes a turn with “AURATALK,” a brilliant 43 second long clip of dialogue that gives you a break before “Annihilation Song” begins. This title is incredibly fitting, because it makes you feel powerful and energetic, like you could absolutely annihilate whatever you’re doing whether it be studying, going for a run, or dancing through the grocery aisles. The album includes three total small transitional dialogue clips that are so creative, fun, and strategically placed, because just like “AURATALK,” each one leads into a song with amazing amounts of energy that you almost need that break to prepare for what’s coming. The album then ends with “Habit Creature” which is a song that left me grinning, as I couldn’t keep myself from bopping along to it.

This was yet another amazing creation of sounds and emotion from Rubblebucket, and if you were also left hungry for more they fortunately have three other albums that are arguably just as incredible.