Two or three years ago, Glasgow's, The Cinematics were on the cusp of greatness. Following in the footsteps of Editors, White Rose Movement, and the like, The Cinematics looked like they were next in line for dark pop glory and then the bottom fell out. Their label, TVT filed for bankruptcy and just as everything seemed to fall in to place it fell apart. Undeterred by this minor setback the band hunkered down and determined as ever and began working on their follow up album. But the changes didn't stop with the ending of TVT, the band replaced original guitarist Ramsay Miller with new guitarist Larry Reid. Then, just when they thought they didn't have a deal, The Orchard actually bought TVT Records which meant The Cinematics once again had a label and a record to put out. After winding down the twisted road of the music industry for quite a while, the band were finally able to release their sophomore album, Love and Terror.
It may have been delayed but the wait for Love and Terror was well worth the wait. The Cinematics have proven that no setback is too great and as a result Love and Terror is the sound of perseverance and overcoming just about everything. Far from happy, the album is dark, brooding, and loaded with more angular guitars than you could imagine. It's a hazy post-punk nightmare set to danceable rhythms with an arch sense of emotion leading the way. Take a bit of Joy Division, throw in a hefty amount of Editors, add in the Glaswegian cold and you have a starkly beautiful record that sounds as grim and grey as Glasgow actually is sometimes. That being said, Love and Terror is a sparse record whose guitars chime along without much fanfare instead, relying on strong rhythms to carry them to the promised land. This is a band that reels you in with gigantic hooks that stand out like lighthouses in a sea of dark; bright, solemn, and steering you to safety.
Clearly The Cinematics have mastered this formula as much of Love and Terror is like this and while that might seem a bit trite, they tinker their formula with songs that are consistant and strong enough to make your forget what they're actually doing. They sell Love and Terror with an abundant amount of energy and even at it's most sparse and bleak you get the sense that there's always hope. The Cinematics have come up with something that Joy Division would approve of with Love and Terror. Call it a sign of the times, a result of the economy, or whatever, but the fact that so many bands have rediscovered the joys of sparse post punk that sounds remarkably like Ian Curtis' legendary band is a very good thing. Love and Terror is a fantastic record that makes depression sound far more inviting then it actually is.
No comments:
Post a Comment