This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
“I’ve got four chords and no words,” claims Mike Clark. He’s too modest.
On his CD Darker Machines, this ex-road manager for Tegan and Sara is far closer to Neil Young than Johnny One-Note. Most of the time he’s singer-songwriter boy, strumming away on confessional ballads like Elliott Smith in a better mood. Now and then, though, Clark transforms into a rootsy rocker a la Wilco, a grungy wailer like Kurt Cobain or a noisemaker in the vein of Sonic Youth. And the darker and grittier he gets, the better. Meet all the Mike Clarks when he — or they? — show up in your town.
