Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro show they can follow the acoustic path along with the best of them on 'Machines', the fourth single from their breakthrough album, 'Puzzle'. After an spartan acoustic guitar and vocal opening, the bass and drums arrive accompanied by some meandering strings which add a note of melancholy. Although musically 'Machines' sounds rather mournful, the lyrics are actually quite uplifting and the band themselves commented that it was written to end the album on a 'positive vibe'. It's a well polished down tempo track that contrasts wildly with most of the band's harder edged output. Various rumours abound as to the origin of the band's name, from it being the name of a Finnish or Scottish footballer to an acronym for something. The best theory yet is that it comes from the fact that one of the band owned a Cliff Richard pen - or a 'Cliffy Biro', which became inverted to Biffy Clyro. ~Martin Gadgil. Copyright (c) Shazam Entertainment Limited 2009. All rights reserved

 more