Cinerama Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
Despite no longer being an angsty whippersnapper, David Gedge shows no signs of slowing down or tempering his biting mix of the bittersweet, the dark, and the seedy, as it relates to all the upswings and downfalls of love, lust, and infidelity. At this point, there's very little doubting that, at age 70, Gedge will be penning witty songs about the tempting nurse who rubs VapoRub across his chest with such titillating flair. His third studio album with partner Sally Murrell and friends as Cinerama isn't all that different stylistically from 2000's Disco Volante, shifting back and forth from elegant chamber pop to fiery indie rock at the drop of a hat. For the most part, this is more of the same, which disciples will have no qualms about. Songs like "Estrella" and "Starry Eyed" have the deft melodic tugs and gushing guitars that won Gedge's previous band so many hopelessly romantic fans. The brief breaks in the formula hopefully show glimpses of the future. "Airborne" is a beautiful Baroque pop song, full of nothing but strings that accompany what could be Gedge's most elegant and touching vocal turn yet. At just over two minutes, the song is as wickedly fleeting as the relationship that ends within it. Another wrinkle that will hopefully be explored further occurs during the last half of "Quick, Before It Melts," which caps off a roaring number with a cinematic passage consisting of a stately piano, a ruefully plucked acoustic guitar, and distant church bell chimes. Gedge has shown time and time again that he can knock out the kind of songs that are his stock in trade in his sleep. Torino is no slip, but perhaps it's time to cut the cord and make those teasing tangents the basis of an entire record. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Indie pop as seductive device? Not a chance, unless you've heard Cinerama. Really -- think about it. Is there anything remotely erotic about Sebadoh, Sloan, or (gasp!) the Elephant Six contingent? No sir/ma'am. Disco Volante seems like a more logical extension of the Wedding Present than Va Va Voom, employing more electric than acoustic guitars and drier production. Though the pairing of the Wedding Present with Steve Albini made sense for 1991's Seamonsters, David Gedge's decision to work again with the engineer seems a bit misplaced for Cinerama. At that stage of the Wedding Present's career, they were thriving on their roughness and angularities, something Albini is an expert at capturing. But for Cinerama, a group with a more rounded, elegant sound, it sounds a little awkward. If it was Gedge's intent to win back some of the Wedding Present fans who found Va Va Voom to be too much of a departure, Disco Volante could succeed in that regard. With Weddoes guitarist Simon Cleave now a full-fledged member, there's some of the trademark late '80s/early '90s roar apparent in the likes of "146 Degrees" and "Your Charms"; but whether or not that and crisp drums fit snugly alongside French horn and accordion is debatable. Regardless of these features, Gedge shows absolutely no signs of dwindling lyrically. His common topics of romance and lust are well-roamed, but the man is perfectly incapable of sounding like a cliché. Despite Disco Volante's rougher sound, the eroticism is in throbbing supply in "Lollobrigida" and "Unzip." Otherwise, Disco Volante echoes Va Va Voom in its well-placed use of chamber pop elements, and if you have that all-too-necessary skill that allows you to not think "Jethro Tull" when a flute pops up from time to time, you're all the better off. And hats (and panties?) off to Gedge for scoring the rhythm section of the disbanded Goya Dress. Bassist Terry de Castro and drummer Simon Pearson are ideal additions to Gedge's vision. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
