This Is A Fix
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
BBC	positive link
Digital Spy	link
Drowned In Sound	(6/10) link
The Guardian	link
Hot Press	(1/5) link
Kerrang!	KKKK (4/5)
NME	(7/10) link
Rockmidgets.com	(3/5) link
Rock Sound	8/10
The Sun	link

This Is a Fix is the second album by Wales-based band The Automatic. It was released on 25 August 2008. The band worked with producer Don Gilmore in Los Angeles, but were disappointed with these sessions, and instead worked with Butch Walker at Sage and Sound Recording in Los Angeles then back in Cardiff with Richard Jackson and London with Stephen Harris.

The Automatic began work in 2006 on the follow-up to previous album Not Accepted Anywhere, however after the departure of Alex Pennie and joining of Paul Mullen, the completed recordings of such songs as "Steve McQueen" and "Revolution" - which featured Alex Pennie providing synths and vocals - were shelved and later re-recorded with Paul Mullen. Writing took place sporadically - with songs originating from both before and after Mullen's joining.

The album spawned only one single "Steve McQueen", however "Magazines" and "Secret Police" were originally planned for release as singles. This Is A Fix leaked onto the internet a month before release, it was also hindered by online distribution issues - which saw both the single "Steve McQueen" and album get released late across sites such as iTunes and 7digital.

In late 2006 the band - consisting of Rob, Pennie, Frost and Iwan were reported to be preparing new material for their upcoming NME Indie Rock tour. In late December 2006 it was revealed that the band had been in the studio, and had recorded two new untitled songs which were intended for release after the NME tour as a single. This single whilst fully recorded and ready-to-go was for an unknown reason never released, however the songs featured were revealed to be "Steve McQueen" and "Revolution".

The atmosphere when we we're working with Don Gilmore wasn't too uptight or anything, but it felt a bit like clocking in and clocking out at the beginning and end of everyday, rather than this sort of fluid process, and Don was well into working with pro-tools and chopping everything up we're not particularly about that, we'd rather play something and press record and if you can't play it, you can't play it.

After extensive touring with Not Accepted Anywhere the band were in the studio, and as of September 2007 had around 10 tracks in various stages of development. Keyboard and vocalist Alex Pennie then left the band in September 2007, with the band going onto report they would be heading to the USA to work on their follow-up record to Not Accepted Anywhere. A month after the departure of Alex Pennie in October 2007, former yourcodenameis:milo frontman Paul Mullen was revealed to be joining the band as a second guitarist, vocalist and synthesizer player. Having already written new material throughout the year such as "Steve McQueen", "Revolution", "Accessories" and "Hard Rock" the band continued writing and demoing material in Cardiff with producer Richard Jackson. Upon the first day of Paul Mullen practicing with the band in their Cardiff studio the band wrote "Paul Harris", later appearing on the album as "This Ship". On 4 November 2007 guitarist James Frost posted onto YouTube a studio video of the band recording, previewing such songs as "Magazines" and "In This World" in the demoing stage.

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