Movietone

The first Movietone album came out at the height of hype and attention for Flying Saucer Attack, but what's intriguing is how clearly Rachel Brook and her compatriots readily found their own particular approach rather than simply being an extension of said band. If not yet fully achieving the stripped-down, delicate synthesis later records demonstrated, Movietone is still well on its way, as "3AM Walking Smoking Talking," with its blend of buried drums, spoken words, soft guitar, and droning clarinet shows. Acoustic arrangements take the lead more than once, and if the effect is more fragile than late-night moody as Day & Night would show, songs like "Late July" still make for an entrancing listen. "Darkness-Blue Glow," with Matt Wright's dramatic but not overly so piano parts and a hushed, reflective atmosphere is especially wonderful, easily the album's high point. Lead singer/guitarist Kate Wright has an understated voice, sometimes very hard to catch in softer moments (on "Green Ray," Florence Lovegrove's viola eventually completely obscures it). It's not the expected gentle cooing from earlier shoegaze groups, though, but more of a restrained calm à la Moe Tucker or a deeper Alison Statton. More than once, the noise kicks in -- "Orange Zero" starts out as a quiet, folkish chime before suddenly erupting into an orgy of feedback squalling, a pattern that repeats itself for the rest of the song. "Chance Is Her Opera," meanwhile, betrays a definite Spacemen 3 influence in its steady, obsessive pace, strung-out guitar, and rough but effective drums the background. The experimental home-recording roots become readily apparent more than once, whether it's the stop-start taping of the half-spoken vocal on "Heatwave Pavement" or the clattering glass and crashes on "Mono Valley," another unsettled high point and a good showcase for all the bandmembers. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide