REVIEWS OF:
JOHNNY/NOW YOU KNOW
(15 Nov 2012 - Vinyl 7")

THE SOUND OF CONFUSION - 3/24/13
More indie-rock from the city that never sleeps? Go on then, they have a knack of incubating great guitar bands there, so let's check out the new single from Automatic Children. These guys have actually been around for a few years and have a handful of releases to their name, including a debut album. They deal in the type of to-the-point guitar music that is ingrained in New York's heritage, taking elements from the 1970s garage and punk scene right through to the revival that's kept websites like us swamped with decent music for the last few years. So they're not at the forefront of a new scene, instead they're a worthy addition to one of the best areas for music culture in North America.

'Johnny' has ringing guitar strums and a simple lead over the top, it has vocals that are half screamed with passion and it has an irresistible and toe-tapping feel in general. It all seems so simple, and this is regular verse, chorus, verse format, we're not looking at much in the way of experimentation, but although the format may be well worn, coming up with the goods song-wise is the challenge, and it's one that Automatic Children have managed to master on this lo-fi and buzzing punky pop tune. Long may they continue to fly the flag for simple, quality music.

- Kev

VISIONS OF THE UNEXCUSED - 3/22/13
Automatic Children are a four piece from NYC who approach their music with a jangly ease. Their split of boy/girl vocals is refreshing and helps them stand out from the crowd. Their latest single, "Johnny", is one of their finest tracks to date and is the perfect accompaniment to the road trip you've yet to take.

MUSIC THAT ISN'T BAD - 3/14/13
Lyrically. I hear a punk band. Musically, I hear an alt/indie band. It's an odd juxtaposition that just seems to work. Automatic Children have released the single "Johnny" on a 7" vinyl, their first release since their 2010 full length release New is Beautiful.

-Tony Porter

GOLDEN MIXTAPE - 3/13/13
Debt is so much easier to clear when the background noise of a suburban home is more than the hum of a 13-year-old refrigerator. There are no children begging to watch weekday cartoons and bothering mommy to make them a snack. Instead, I have New York City's Automatic Children and their latest 7" inch, Johnny/Now You Know to ebb the silence away.

There's rebelliousness to their sound; I can feel the leather jacket hanging on my shoulders in James Dean fashion. Their rebellion steams from vocal timbre. No voice on this record sounds exactly like the last, which leads me to think that Adam Lippman and Crista Giuliani are in actuality, four people. It's a compliment to say the least, as I find different characters in each song adding to the overall narrative of the album.

"Johnny" and "Now You Know," heavily contrast one another. They start off with a similar rhythm, but are distinguished by their tone. "Johnny," is more up-tempo — the kind of song you carry to the coast with a grin and cigarette in hand. Despite its melancholy, the remembrance of a friend lost, there is a celebratory ring. I feel I knew who Johnny was, too. In "Now You Know," it is less commemorative. This is the track you feel yourself take to the streets, stumbling and crashing into the next bar with for a whiskey. Whatever has happened becomes a harsh reality and you're sure to wake up on the bathroom floor, clothes stained and head pounding.

Are you rebel, Dottie? Because if you are, I suggest you grab Automatic Children's latest and take to the streets with a drink and a cigarette.

-Ashley Jean

LITO MUSIC - 3/13/13
Automatic Children es un grupo de Nueva York caracterizado por su sonido indie-rock clásico de guitarras contundentes y armonías vocales chico/chica, por lo que han sido comparados con frecuencia con bandas como Pixies, The Velvet Underground o Sebadoh.

Su discografía comienza en el año 2007, con la publicación de un Ep llamado "It's Not Me, It's You" a éste le seguiría un single de vinilo y un álbum "New is Beautiful" publicado en el año 2010. Finalmente, ya en el año 2012 llega su último disco hasta la fecha, se trata del single "Johnny"/"Now You Know", disponible en vinilo de 7" y en descarga digital.

INDIES AND THE UNDERGROUND - 3/1/13
Alt-rock quartet Automatic Children have a knack for crafting lo-fi, guitar-driven brand of pop/rock. Formed by members Adam Lippman and Crista Guiliani in 2006, the band has built a reputation as one NYC's bands to watch, a rep no doubt earned by churning songs like their latest "Johnny." A steady bass line and drums guide the track, while lean, jangly guitars provide plenty of sonic hooks. But what really leaves its mark on your mind and ear drums are Guilani's vocals, her tough, clipped tone made all the more tense by the tender lyrics memorializing a friend. Instead of emoting, she spits the words out as if singing through clenched teeth.

-Kevin Clarkston

WRITE.CLICK.COOK.LISTEN - 2/26/13
They combine the coolest bits of every band your older sister ever told you about into one helluva an act. For instance, their latest 7" Johnny/Now You Know, features loud hooks that recall Surfer Rosa-era Pixies, a high-registered vocal delivery (courtesy of Adam Lippman) which echoes The Get Up Kids and lyrics that display the world/weary smarts of Paul Westerberg. Its music that is lean, fun, and unpretentious. Check out "Johnny." It's what's for dinner.

PARASITES AND SYCOPHANTS - 2/15/13
There are no shortage of those who will tell you everything is the end all of everything and that strategy is becoming less attractive by the hour. Still, I have been enjoying the Johnny/Now You Know seven inch from NYC's Automatic Children. Take in "Johnny" to see how it hits you.

ANTI-PITCHFORK.COM - 1/7/13
Automatic Children have been a group for years. Their newest seven inch, released on multi-colored vinyl, is a college radio rock single. The way The Strokes were described as in between the 80's and 90's, so are Automatic Children. They don't exactly fit into either decade, but obvious influences of both are connected. Side A - "Johnny" is sung by Crista Giuliani, the female lead of this band. It's a song about an old friend, and the music feels that way as well, like a beloved song you haven't heard in a while and missed. It's garagey, grungey, and punked out with a toe tapping drum beat and a memorable guitar hook. The flip side - "Now you know" is a classic cookie-cutter Pixies song, but fresh and new vocally. Guitarist and singer - Adam Lippman's vocals show an innocence and uniqueness apart from Frank Black's voice, closer to Paul Westerberg or Matthew Sweet. It's more like the early indie-pop records played on college radio by that DJ that insists on blasting The Smiths like they're a power-rock band. These are songs that bring back memories of youth and pop culture before it was taken over by tampered social media and self-gratifying facebook fans. Both tracks are noteworthy for their melodic hooks and sentimentality. If nostalgia can be melted into a record, Automatic Children offer that reaction and emotion, and on beautifully colored vinyl too.

-Muddy

RCRD RVNG - 11/19/12
VINYL. It's rare these days, when a band doesn't try to copy a pre-existing fad, nor do they try to sound like post-apocalyptic noise posing as art. Automatic Children are neither. They are a rock and roll band, nothing more, nothing less. They write good songs, and then they write more good songs. It's not about trying to reinvent some image, or find the next big hit. This was the spirit of indie-rock before every band became indie rock, when it had a sound that didn't require anything more than a good melody, some catchy lyrics, and a rockin' rhythm section. You can hear punk and pop influences, but the band's sound is clear and decisive, direct and to the point. You'll either get it, or you won't. No need for gimmicks or PR tricks, if you grew up with a cool record collection, this is one to add to it.

Automatic Children's latest 7" vinyl single was recorded at Brooklyn's vintage/analogue recording studio- Emandee. It's an old fashioned single, side A/side B, two songs that will stick in your head shortly after the first listen. "Johnny" is an uptempo toe tapper, as catchy as songs come. It reminds me of something Paul Westerberg would have written for a John Hughes movie from the 80's, similar to a classic Replacements' song and I wouldn't be surprised if this winds up in a chick-flick movie soundtrack. "Now you know" is the missing Pixies song. Everyone that hears that "Where is my mind" song, wishes there were more like it.

There are some bands that just don't have the knack for songwriting, but they maneuver their way around it with slick production or trending themes. Automatic Children follow their heart, the soul of rock and roll pumping through every beat and never off-track from the band's purpose, to produce a great song you'll want to listen to again and again.

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