The Guitar and Other Machines

The Guitar and Other Machines
Studio album by
the Durutti Column
Released5 December 1987 (1987-12-05)
Genres
Length40:01
LabelFactory
ProducerStephen Street
The Durutti Column chronology
Circuses and Bread
(1986)		 The Guitar and Other Machines
(1987)		 Vini Reilly
(1989)

The Guitar and Other Machines is the sixth album by English post-punk band The Durutti Column, released on 5 December 1987. It was re-released on 12 January 2018, featuring two bonus discs. The album marked a stylistic shift for the band, being led by a drum machine and synthesisers.

Background

The album originated when Factory Records (to which the band was signed) manager Tony Wilson gifted frontman Vini Reilly several electronic instruments,[1] with instruments making it onto the album including a Yamaha Sequencer and a DMX Drum Machine.[2] As such, the album marked a stylistic shift for the band.[3] It featured long-running collaborator drummer Bruce Mitchell and John Metcalfe on viola.[1]

To produce the album, Stephen Street was recruited; he also played the bass on "English Landscape Tradition".[2] Street later paved the way for Reilly's role playing guitar on Morrissey's debut solo album Viva Hate.[4] Guest vocals were contributed by Miranda Stanton of Thick Pigeon and Reilly's then-partner Pol.[5]

Release

The album received Factory number FAC 204,[6] and was the first ever commercial release on Digital Audio Tape.[4][5] It was re-released on 12 January 2018, along with two bonus discs: one featured associated studio records, while the other included a live show recording from New York's Bottom Line Club, and two tracks recorded at WOMAD.[5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
UncutStarStarStarHalf star[4]
AllMusicStarStarStar[2]
Record CollectorStarStarStarStar[7]
PEEK-A-BOOStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStar[8]

The album was received positively. Tim Peacock of Record Collector magazine noted that some tracks were "nigh-on destroyed by juddering sequencers", despite the drum machine used having been "cutting edge at the time", and describing it as "telling" that the album's "best tracks" were "unadorned outings" featuring solely Reilly's guitar. However, he praised the 2018 reissue for the content of its two bonus discs.[7]

Paul Pledger, writing for PEEK-A-BOO, noted "LFO MOD" as one of the band's "finest moments", calling the album itself "poignant".[8] Ian Canty of Louder Than War stated that the album was "fondly remembered" by fans of the band; and particularly noted that the presence of female vocals helped make the tracks on which they were featured "diverting, dream-Pop beauties".[5]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Vini Reilly.

The Guitar and Other Machines
No.TitleLength
1."Arpeggiator"4:03
2."What Is It To Me (Woman)"3:47
3."Red Shoes"3:13
4."Jongleur Grey"2:41
5."When The World"3:13
6."U.S.P."2:22
7."Bordeaux Sequence"5:50
8."Pol In B"3:08
9."English Landscape Tradition"4:48
10."Miss Haymes"5:14
11."Don't Think You're Funny"1:42
Total length:40:01

Charts

Chart performance for The Guitar and Other Machines
Chart (2018) Peak
position
UK Independent Albums (Official Charts)[9]48
UK Independent Album Breakers (OCC)[10] 9

References

  1. 1 2 "The Guitar And Other Machines (Deluxe)". burningshed.com. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Raggett, Ned. "The Guitar and Other Machines - The Durutti Column". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 26 March 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  3. ↑ Simpson, Dave (17 March 2008). "Hendrix, Page, Townshend ... and Vini Reilly". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2 June 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Troussé, Stephen (23 January 2018). "The Durutti Column – The Guitar And Other Machines". Uncut. Archived from the original on 25 May 2026. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Canty, Ian (4 January 2018). "The Durutti Column: The Guitar & Other Machines Album Review". Louder Than War. Archived from the original on 23 April 2026. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "The Durutti Column: The Guitar and Other Machines". thedurutticolumn.info. Archived from the original on 26 May 2026. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  7. 1 2 Peacock, Tim (4 January 2018). "The Guitar And Other Machines - Record Collector Magazine". Record Collector. Archived from the original on 13 April 2026. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  8. 1 2 Pledger, Paul (6 April 2018). "THE DURUTTI COLUMN , The Guitar and Other Machines - 3CD box set , Music, 3CD review". www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be. Archived from the original on 12 April 2026. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 25/1/2018 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  10. ↑ "Official Independent Album Breakers on 25/1/2018 – Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
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