Gnac (pronounced "knee-ak) write soundtracks for imaginary films and they do a very good job of it. It is the self-proclaimed "sophisticated instrumental project of Mark Tranmer, who is also one of the Montgolfier Brothers, and hes been doing it since 1999 when Sevens was originally released. Sevens is a collection of Gnacs first three singles, plus some compilation tracks and this reissue adds some bonus tracks from a couple of rare singles. The majority of the tracks sound very much like John Barry, the composer of many British thriller soundtracks from the 60s and 70s, with a continental twist. And its all very good stuff: nice, easy listening background music that conjures up images of briefcases being exchanged on the banks of the Seine. The main problem with Gnac is that the first exposure to the bands music is the most effective. Theres no denying that they make pretty, clever records but each new album seems slightly less effective than its predecessor because Tranmer doesnt have any new tricks up his sleeve. Or to put it another way, the first purchase of a Gnac album is a relatively safe investment because there simply isnt a bad one. But theres also a really good chance you wont need a second one.
(LTM)GNAC
Sevens
BY Michael EdwardsPublished Feb 28, 2007