14. December 2022 By Walter Price 0

NATURE of WIRES ☩ MACHINA X 2000 Miles

Nature of Wires ☩ Machina X 2000 Miles is available on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music

The oft-misunderstood tribute to their original jangle master guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, The Pretenders’ early 1980s accidental hit “2000 Miles” is now a Holiday Season staple. And over the decades it’d be quite the task to visit a mega box store and not hear this track wafting from far above speakers. Of course, it’s a song that’s weathered the ages, Chrissie Hynde was at the height of her songwriting, and the seminal album from which this song landed, “Learning to Crawl” (1984), is a cornerstone of any proper vinyl collection.

This is now, err 2021 to be precise, and the two forces of Nature of Wires and Machina X had teamed up to move this post-punk classic into a more… synth-driven ethereal realm. And, for the money, this redux arguably has a far more Christmastime vibe than the original. On their Bandcamp page, the duo shared, “Nature of Wires and Machina X take this original, guitar-driven track into a rich and bright contemporary synthscape. Annie’s distinctive vocals nestle nostalgically within this wonderfully paced synth sleigh-ride, mingling Echoes of Christmas Past ghosts with hopeful glimpses of Christmases to come.” Agreed.

I wouldn’t suggest replacing The Pretenders’ version of “2000 Miles” on your favorite Holiday playlist, but I would certainly urge you to get the Nature of Wires ☩ Machina X version included toot sweet just the same. Slot it someplace between the seasonal vibes of Au Revoir Simone and The Bird and the Bee…Eggnog and chill.