by Kris Handel
Smile Machine may be a new name, but Jordyn Blakely is most definitely a familiar face on the music grid, having drummed for a cadre of who's who in the "indie" music universe. On Bye for Now, Blakely places herself front and center of a muscular and versatile EP that shows off her range as a musician and so much more. She incorporates bits and pieces of the countless musicians/bands she's worked with over the past decade and puts them all in a blender to create a furious attack. The melodies Smile Machine is able to coax out of these songs is indelible and prove themselves irresistible on a number of levels, a creative force of extreme strength.
"Shit Apple" is a torrid post-hardcore influenced workout that unleashes Blakely's craftsmanship and instrumental prowess as an artist. There is a strong foundation driven by sheer power in the drums and echoing, crunching, waves of distorted guitar and keyboard (provided by Emma Witmer of Gobbin Jr), sliced through with piercing leads over Blakely's higher registered vocals. "Bone to Pick" is an aggressive chainsaw full of punk inspiration and guitars that have her aggressively shouting lyrics that will cut through your entire being. There is a power here that is unrelenting and quite frankly stunning which refuses to take a step back, fully taking the listener's breath away.
That same unflinching power is laid out in every aspect of this release, but it provides moments of honest and overwhelming beauty as well. Blakely has always been one of the top drummers on the scene for quite a few years, but this release allows her to showcase some very impressive skills no matter the instrument she decides to tackle. Bye For Now carries a weight with every step it takes and makes an impact on every track, which is something that should be admired and applauded. There is so much to digest here and every morsel is so well crafted and executed that hopefully there will be much more to come and a welcome step to the forefront from an artist that has so much to offer moving forward.