Movietone - The Blossom Filled Streets
(Drag City)
Coming from the Bristol music family that brought forth Flying Saucer
Attack and Third Eye Foundation, Movietone takes the elements of a chamber
orchestra and uses them to create jazz-baased soundscapes that backdrop a
nonexistent, black and white, rain-drenched arthouse movie.
Their third album, The Blosssom Filled Streets, fades in and out like
distant memories. Songs start off quietly, barely above the threshold of
hearing, acting like a symbol to ignite recollection. As the song builds
and circumstance and emotions flood the mind, the listener is overwhelmed.
Just as gradually, the song fades away, redepositing old times in the
recess of the mind.
The album finds the band increasing their experimentation, incorporating
more instruments and using looser song structures. This format
is successful for Movietone as far as their goal of creating imagery through
sound, such as "Seagulls/Bass" (the title tells the story). However, the
best parts of the album are the more traditional (relatively speaking)
songs such as the ones that start and bisect the album. Both of these songs
make great use of tempo to complement the imagery and feel of the pieces,
blending from slow and delicate to hectic and skronk-filled.
Earlier this year, Low put out their uber-experimental The Lost Papers EP,
soundtracking an imaginary film. While that EP had its interesting moments,
Movietone far surpasses it here. In the end, they are just more comfortable
than Low with using a free style while still accomplishing the goal of
creating image and mood with sound. On The Blossom Filled Streets, Movietone
wonderfully accomplishes both goals.
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