Introspective, delicate, and atmospheric, the music of
Movietone envelops the listener like a warm bath. Vocalist Kate Wright's poetic lyrics offer up vignettes that twist themselves inextricably amongst the layers of sound, surfacing occasionally to bloom in honey tones. The richness of the band's composition and instrumentation make this music almost impossible to categorize. They use strings and prepared piano like art rock auteurs, cruise sonic landscapes like
Bluetile Lounge or
Galaxie 500, and the ends of their songs often tumble into extended improvisations that rival free jazz. It may be overly simplistic to say that a band called
Movietone makes music that sounds like the soundtrack to melancholy film scenes under gaslight and stars, but they do make that music, and its filmic richness makes this album a most unique treat. ~ Stacia Proefrock