Pale Man Made is a 4 piece band from Newcastle that play guitar based rock like early Delgados.

The band is split 50/50 between the sexes.Christianne, who also plays in the Four Marys, plays guitar/bass/vocals . Her vocals make the Delgados connection stronger, in their resemblance to Emma Pollock. Christianne definitely has her own thing going though - I am only using Emma Pollock as a frame of reference. Christianne also used to sing in Shook Yang. Claire plays drums. Leon plays guitar and vocals, and Stuart plays bass and guitar.

The bands third EP is 'Show of Hands.' I think it is their strongest yet, and shows that Pale Man Made have benefited from their time together.

1. Show of Hands
   All the best elements of Pale Man Made are on display in one place. Show of Hands has the keyboard sound of The Cars, dueling male/female vocals, and lots of drive in the music.
2. Winning Streak
   Starting with a dialog clip from a movie, Winning Streak follows the killer opening track with a different tact, delivered well. Leon sings the song, but the music dominates the track, sounding like a distant cousin of Gang Of Four Anthrax during the verse parts .
3. Annual Ritual
   The slow song of the EP. I like Pale Man Made during their more upbeat moments best.

'Future Shape Of...' is the band's second EP, following up 2000's 'Inchberry Sweet Rocket' EP. It has 7 songs and clocks in at 37 minutes. The music reminds me of the Glasgow/Newcastle bands of the days when Slampt Records was a righteous force.

As a whole I think the EP is a little too long, as the songs sound somewhat similar. On the other hand, you get lots of music for the price of a single.

1. Clunk Clink
   My favorite track on this EP along with Starpig. The music sounds like the song Heroin by Velvet Underground, and the female vocals carry on with the same slightly flat melody delivery that Christianne has done so well since her days in Shook Yang.
2. Straight Lines
   Leon sings this track. It is slower that Clunk Clink and has piano and a triumphant sounding guitar lead melody.
3. Starpig
   Mostly sung by Christianne, with some doubling up by Leon. Starpig rocks it up. I particularly like the drum part by Claire.
4. Allegiance
   A slower song with vocals by Christianne. There is a guitar solo with an effect that reminds me of The Cars Just What I Needed, though this song is melancholy and not upbeat at all.
5. Hangfire
   Another slow song with duel vocals, though they are mostly male vocals here.
6. Fidel
   Female vocal song that rocks out a lot more than the last 2 tracks. As with many of Pale Man Made's tracks, the band sounds very serious as they play this song!
7. Concentrate
   Ten minute epic closing track which starts off with tremolo guitar. At times the drum part reminds me of The Boys Brickfield Nights. The song gets quite intense and Christianne raises her voice into a higher register than it has on any other song. Fans of shoegazer bands could easily latch onto this track. The instrumental passages really work well. they make Concentrate my third favorite track on the EP.