The English city of Bristol is famous for giving birth to such trip-hopluminaries as Massive Attack and Tricky but it is also home to some ofthe best-known space rock bands, most notably Flying Saucer Attack, agroup which over the years has intertwined itself with a number oflocal kindred spirits, such as AMP, Crescent, and Third Eye Foundation.Despite its numerous creative dabblings, FSA has but one ongoingofficial side project: Movietone. Rachel Coe (nee Brook) of FSA startedthe group in 1994, and it currently includes Kate Wright, Matt Jones,John Coe and Sam Jones, along with the assistance of various others on The Sand and the Stars,their fourth full-length album. Since its inception, Movietone hasprogressed further and further in an English folk music direction, butas the band's name suggests, they retain a very cinematic quality,which serves to successfully balance out their overall sound. The titletrack from their latest record is a lovely encapsulation of theiraesthetic. Kate Wright's soft voice comes across as endearingly honest,and is a perfect compliment to the purity of the guitar and piano."Ocean Song" is less minimal, and shows off Movietone's diversity withthe use of banjo, trumpet and tenor saxophone alongside the slowslidings of the guitar, bass and drums. "Pale Tracks" stands as one ofthe best songs on the record because it's a wonderful example of howwell these five musicians really mesh together, both vocally andinstrumentally.In terms of songwriting, The Sand and the Starsseems slightly earthier and simpler than Movietone's previous albums.On the downside, none of the songs are quite as captivatingly beautifulas "Hydra" or "Star Ruby" from their last record, The Blossom Filled Streets.Nevertheless, it's their unfussy approach and cool, breezy musicalbeauty (the album was recorded on a beach, and it shows) thatultimately makes for a very pleasant listening.
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