Stevens’ new collaborative album with fellow songwriter brings two complementary voices and talents together with light, melancholy and beautiful numbers that are all inspired by a diverse set of feature films. Musically the style is often reminiscent of Stevens’ wonderful Carrie & Lowell album, but the subject matter is far less heartbreaking and personal, more a snapshot of images and impressions, as if they are channel hopping through movie channels. Some songs are devoted to specific works, such as Wim Wenders’Wings of Desire on the song Reach Out (a perfect Stevens-type melancholy movie), All About Eve on Lady Macbeth in Chains, Bring It On Again in Fictional California, and by contrast, The Silence of the Lambs on Cimmerian Shade, a prayer-like number based on the disturbed perspective of killer Buffalo Bill (with the chilling line “I just want you to love me”), or the less than classic Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth on The Pillar of Souls. There are also dedications to particular film talents, such as Jason and the Argonauts stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen, or director Spike Lee as his first film, She’s Gotta Have It, on It’s Your Own Body And Mind. A film buff’s delight, but aside from all that, even without spotting all the references, a rather beautiful and delicate album. Out on Asthmatic Kitty.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Feel free to recommend more new albums and comment below. You can also use the contact page, or find more on social media: Song Bar Twitter, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.
Song Bar is non-profit and is simply about sharing great music. We don’t do clickbait or advertisements. Please make any donation to help keep the Bar running: