I'm a bit biased as John Tejada is one of my very favorite producers and I am familiar with a lot of his work. I also have a hard time rating it less than 5 stars even though I believe Parabolas was a more complete 'album' in terms of continuity. The Predicting Machine I think may on the whole be the easiest album of his to access to someone who is not already familiar with his work. The first track "Orbiter" start things off on a bit of an off-putting note however. The first few times I heard that track I didn't much like it. It is raw, in your face, and awe-inspiring. I find it a perfect commentary on the human condition and after I discovered what a great track it is I am a bit disappointed the rest of the album lacks its raw authenticity. The majority of the album is a bit more floaty and dreamy than a lot of his previous work. I find it a bit unfocused in places. The second half of the album is on a whole stronger than the first and it ends with one of my all-time favorite tracks 'When All Around is Madness'. Its the kind of tracks that makes you stop and remember whats important in life. A real beauty. Overall, for the long-time fan of Tejada I don't know if this album will be wholly satisfying, however, for someone new this is a perfect place to start.