Ass Machine

Yes, their name is horrendous, but luckily their sound does not live up to their name. Ass Machine is a power-pop threesome that is the brainchild of ex-Weeping Tile bassist Sticky. Pride of Bovinia is their second record and follows a similar path to the one Sticky's old band walked, but with some crunchier guitars (à la the Weekend). The songs shift back and forth between upbeat guitar rock and weepy ballads, while occasionally the odd snarl pops into play with a song like "Double Decker," the standout bad seed of the bunch. This is one machine you may not want to mess with.