ALBUM: Brian Jonestown Massacre 'Musique de Film Imagine'

Rating:

Translated as “Music of the Imaginary Film”, this is the creative, personal soundtrack to a non-existent film inspired by the Parisian film culture prevalent half a century ago. The problem with solitary missions like this is that they can come across esoteric and self indulgent, and this enters that territory. Do not look forward to any of the retro-psych leanings that feature in most of this eclectic bands previous work.

While under the collective banner, this is in fact a solo effort in all but name by Anton Newcombe, and sonically he must be incredibly proud of what his album achieves. But the challenge for everyone else is enjoying the private party that you seem to have stumbled into. The overarching feeling is one of sparseness and darkness and this probably matches the visual treat that is played out in Newcombes mind.

‘Après le Vin’ is a bare and stripped back soundscape that becomes repetitive and unmoving without the accompanying images, and this is true for many of the tracks and interludes. The musical ability and range is undoubted but the connection is lacking.

‘Philadelphie Story’ is one of the few songs containing a vocal, in this case the voice of Stephanie ‘Soko’ Sokolinski and provides the albums highlight. An authentic, bleak and moving track that is thick with emotion, while, ‘L’enfer’ provides six minutes of building up only to frustrating loop round and go nowhere. The rest of the fourteen tracks are versions of the same truth, competently played instruments, not enough haunting vocal and vaguely interesting interludes.

Clearly the point of this is to challenge the listener and I’m sure is artistically of value amongst enthusiasts of ’50s French cinema and the accompanying atmospheric soundtracks. For that it should be encouraged and applauded, but I suspect to most others it will be an effort to retain interest and music should rarely be this hard work.

Musique De Filme Imaginé is released on 27th April via ‘a’ records.