Cinerama

The thing about David Gedge is that he always writes interesting songs. A very underrated songwriter, Gedge has always entertained folks, whether it was with the delightful ball of energy that was the Wedding Present or with his current project Cinerama. With its third proper full-length album (not including a singles compilation and the John Peel Sessions), Cinerama is up to its old tricks again, creating suave and intriguing pop masterpieces, but Torino also sees the band incorporating a slight sense of melancholy instead of their usual pleasantness. "Estrella" has Gedge trying to convince his lady friend to leave him because of his problem with monogamy, admitting that, "I am not the man for you." The overall feel of the record is one covered in scotch and cigarettes, and though the pop influence is still there, Cinerama teeters on the boundaries of Nick Cave's world of misery. The guitars have reached a new level as well, making more of a presence than in the past. "Quick, Before It Melts" and "Two Girls" are good examples, spotlighting more of a focus on the power of the guitar than the normal light and bouncy sound that made the band a hit on the dance floor. As always, though, Gedge is more about his witty lyricism than anything. Listening to the closing track "Health and Efficiency," his wonderful way of expressing his intelligence remains intact. With a line like, "We tried to make love by the lake/I remember you began to shake/I was far too scared to ask if you were cumming," you know that it's just the mood of the music that has changed and not his sense of humour.