The Machine That Cried

String Driven Thing were a Glaswegian folk-rock band formed by Chris and Pauline Adams, who released one album before eventually relocating to London and finding a home with the Charisma label. By the time of their second self-titled album in late 1972, the duo had recruited classically-trained violinist Graham Smith and bassist Colin Wilson. A (more or less) drumless affair, tracks like “Easy to Be Free,” “Jack Diamond” and “My Real Hero” highlighted Adams’s folksy and somewhat dark songwriting. Smith’s violin was to the forefront of the basic backing of guitar and bass, and, of course, the vocal harmonies of both Adamses. For their second album with Charisma, The Machine That Cried, drummer Billy “The Kid” Fairley came on board to make the most of Shel Talmy’s expert production. “Heartfeeder” starts off with a bang, with the rhythm section providing a rollicking bounce, a great counterpoint to Smith’s sharp violin. “To See You” is folksier, while “Night Club” quickly moves into a funky little groove with Adams’s half-spoken vocal sounding more American than British. The second side features more of Adams’s songwriting, including the bleak-sounding chorus of “People on the Street,” Pauline’s gentle-voiced “The House” and the hard-rocking title track. Despite high-profile touring with the Charisma stable of bands on both sides of the Atlantic, success was elusive; Adams’s health issues ultimately drove him and Pauline from the band. Smith then recruited a completely new lineup for further two albums with Charisma, however, the band folded in 1975. Smith would eventually join Van Der Graaf.