Alloy Orchestra

The Alloy Orchestra's soundtrack for what has been called America's last great silent film is probably their finest extended work. The 1928 film, by Hungarian émigré Pal Fejos, follows the story of Mary and Jim, two lonely people in an unnamed big city who meet by chance at an amusement park and spend an idyllic afternoon together before being pulled away from each other by an enormous throng of people. It's a terribly depressing film with moments of genuine beauty. The score, led by group mastermind Caleb Sampson, has a similarly elegiac feel, moving subtly from dark, repetitive segments like "Subway" and "Factory" to brighter tunes before climaxing in the harrowing "Lost" and a heartbreaking reprise of the "Mary" theme. Sentimental without being mawkish, Lonesome is played absolutely straight, with little of the humor that leavens the Alloy Orchestra's other works. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide