Big week of new music in store. Advanced apologies as the job has gotten the best of me over the last few weeks. But in that time I’ve received a superfluity of sickness, some truly unreal gems, with the biggest, baddest and most exciting the newest record from The Cinematic Orchestra, Ma Fleur, which is scheduled to land stateside over the summer. Longtime readers know how much SK loves it some Cinematic sounds and after five years, Jason Swinscoe — dropping the J. he formerly went by — delivers another stellar LP of deeply moving, jazz-influenced textures.
The story is that Ma Fleur is a soundtrack to a film that hasn’t yet been made (no word on if it will be made either), a fitting M.O. for a group linked to other soundtracking ventures (check out their excellent Man with A Movie Camera LP). Teaming up again with ex-Art Ensemble of Chicago vocalist Fontanella Bass and forging relationships with new voices Patrick Watson on Lou Rhodes, Swinscoe turns to the acoustic guitar as emotive touchstone here. His arranging has matured, with deep swells of melancholic strings more sorrowful and heart wrenching then ever before. Success, even if it forces us to imagine the fictionalized pain Swinscoe must have endured to get us here. For his sake, we prefer to think it another chapter of his evolving genius.
RIYL: Eric Truffaz, Nils Petter Molvær, Miles Davis, Bonobo, Jaga Jazzist, The Broadway Project, Stromba
READ:
http://www.cinematicorchestra.com
http://www.myspace.com/thecinematicorchestras
April 30th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
i saw these guys in brighton last night,their sound is so envolving, it was amazing, i can’t wait to get this album. cheers for the exellent blogging by the way, keep it up!
May 1st, 2007 at 7:53 am
People who loved Man with the movie camera will definitely be into this. We’ve waited long enough.
Anybody know why it took so long to release something new?
May 2nd, 2007 at 10:07 am
Jos, delay was apparently due to both Mr Swinscoe’s move to NYC and some undisclosed personal problemss. In Straight No Chaser he’s quoted as saying “I was a bit lost… I was running out of ideas and I was bored with the album”.
I just got hold of a promo copy (joys of London, etc.) and can happily confirm that Ma Fleur is a real killer. The emotional range of the record was really unexpected - a step beyond the ECM vibe he’s always cultivated. Can I call it album of the year yet?
May 11th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Wish I had caught them in Brighton - this is amazing…
May 11th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
i don’t sleep on you, scissorkick. you always bring it.
May 30th, 2007 at 6:25 am
There’s a pretty interesting audio interview of Jason on the compost radio show (streamed at giantstep.net). He seems to be somewhat divided over his experiences with touring and the jazz label put on Cinematic Orchestra. Seems like he is moving on.
August 10th, 2007 at 7:14 am
For the true TCO fans… http://www.ninjatune.net/tco_rah/