Album Notes

Twittering Machine is a band from Atlanta, consisting of Beth Moon (vocals, accordion), Daniel Brown (cello), Ed Whalen (guitar), Brett Huckabee (bass) and Bo Latham (drums).


"Twittering Machine's official full-length debut, Breakfast by the Dunes, arrives with tragic beauty and a timeless sensibility. Those familiar with the group's sound will applaud the lush string arrangements, subtle drumming and Beth Moon's heartrending voice seeping through crystalline production qualities. What's most striking, though, is the alluring presence the music embodies. Swirling melodies that linger between melancholy and bursts of wide-eyed pop tones create an air of pensive mystery, reminiscent of impressionist paintings like Monet's "Waterlilies" or Van Gogh's "Starry Night."
"Birds," "Mundo Hilario" and "Rapt and Rising" possess a surreal elegance that could just as easily set the mood for a sultry cabaret club in 1920s Berlin -- or a smoky dive in East Atlanta in 2003. Other songs like "A Photo or An Airplane," "Green Apple Sea" and "You Will Have Everything" flow with the breezy air of a romantic comedy.
But it is "Learn To Steal" that embraces all of the elements and passion of the group's sound, churning out an undulating epic piece that highlights each of the player's talents. A slow, swaying accordion clears the way for a rhythmic swell of voices, strings and percussion to reach a glowing crescendo before marching triumphantly home.
Parting is such sweet sorrow, and the sad postscript of "Bones At My Feet" brings closure to this heartbreaking first outing."

- Chad Radford, Creative Loafing, Atlanta, GA



Twittering Machine evolved out of a series of cocktail hours in the spring of 2000. Moon and Brown had both been active in the Atlanta and Athens music scenes in college, and were bored with a lot of current popular music. They admired old musical numbers, with their clever writing and emphasis on structure. They wanted a rock band that could put a new spin on this old genre.

The name "Twittering Machine" comes from a Paul Klee painting (Die Zwitschermaschine), which Moon feels fits the songs' moods. They can be lush and lusty as an afternoon in a Viennese cafe, stark as a line drawing, bombastic like a mechanical bird; and never ashamed by these mood swings.

Moon paints with words. She populates her songs with birds, boats, coins, parades, amusement parks, hillside towns. This singer's last name is fitting; her lovely voice floats over these little musical landscapes like the full moon passes over cities and seas, connecting all the different regions of the world.

Their first LP, Breakfast by the Dunes, was released in May 2003.