The Cinematics


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Virgin MobileLouder presents
Oceansize / Martin Grech / The Cinematics
Glasgow Barfly 17/8/05
So here we are, on a dark, humid, dingy night to watch some - yes you guessed it - dark dingy and in Martin Grech's case, oddly bewildering music. Tonight Virgin Mobile presents us Oceansize (not on a plate) at Glasgow’s Barfly. The place is mostly suited to the music tonight ranging from the heavy prog-space-rock of Oceansize to the dark, jaggy tones of The Cinematics. However, the place is no where near suited for Martin Grech, his eerie mystical sound is probably more suited to glens and valleys of Northern Scotland, his voice seems to soar higher and higher until all that is heard is a demonic wail blanketing the chattering crowd. Martin Grech's sound is for die-hards only, it is hard to appreciate other than to go and drink a toast at the bar to the lost souls at the front of the audience who treat him as if he was God/Devil.
Although the majority of the crowd are here to see London prog-rock 5-piece, the muggy night belongs to The Cinematics.
The Glaswegian quartet sound like a Scottish version of Interpol, their jaggy guitars incorporated with their dark, genuinely upsetting lyrics about the shit in life, creating a dark cloud of exciting talent. Often, the songs seem uncomfortable, as if the audience are being able to delve into the mind of the lead singer’s inner, deepest thoughts – “ I feel stupid, so so stupid” moans singer Scott. Along with the jaggy, angular guitar riff, a sense of despair and angst becomes evident in the lyrics.
On new song 'Brick' the angular Television-esque guitar twangs are at their most prominent. The songs dance guitar thrusts and body-moving bass-line would go down well in every dingy blacked out indie club in all the land. Although, the song may have a darker meaning that its cheerful danceable riff - “I like my loneliness” sulks lead singer Scott. A man who's probably not used to the attention, and is in all fairness the anti-frontman.
In a nutshell, The Cinematics are a Dark-Interpol-come-Joy-Divison-come-Television-come-lonely-bag-over-head-I-am-depressed band, but then surely in some weird way that’s a good thing, why wouldn’t it? Well, unless you were suicidal!
The Cinematics whether they will like it or not should become quite a successful band. Joy Division-sounding 80’s band is the ‘in thing’ just now, and well, The Cinematics have the songs; all they need is the darker nights to encompass their dark melodic music and draw in the masses. Bring on the winter, the summer is officially dead. (Jamie Crossan)