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Track Listings
| 1. To Build A Home |
| 2. Familiar Ground feat Fontella Bass |
| 3. Child Song |
| 4. Music Box feat Patrick Watson |
| 5. Prelude |
| 6. As The Stars Fall |
| 7. Into You feat |
| 8. Ma Fleur |
| 9. Breathe feat Fontella Bass |
| 10. That Home feat Patrick Watson |
| 11. Time And Space feat Lou Rhodes |
| 12. As Much As I Ever Could |
Product Description
Review
Ma Fleur, long-awaited fifth composition from suave electro-jazz pioneers, The Cinematic Orchestra, is a reeking letdown - and in a way which only a British album could be. Listening to it is not unlike waiting for a train which never turns up.
You're longing to be transported somewhere - preferably to that realm of euphoria to which critics testified in their ardent praise of previous Orchestra efforts. And, quite typically, nothing comes. When the album finishes you're still slumped in the same spot - fifty-four minutes older and a good deal more jaded.
Opening track ''To Build A Home'' is a dismal forecast of things to come. It's cheerless and aloof, and its wandering vocals and plodding piano will leave Orchestra fans heartily holding back Coldplay comparisons.
Follow-up, ''Familiar Ground'', is a rare highlight, thanks to the sturdy vocals of accomplished soul singer Fontella Bass.
But it isn't long before normal service is resumed, and we're soon left tutting and sighing once more. The clutter of instrumental tracks in the middle of the album is painfully barren. The Orchestra seem far too eager to make an emotional impact. The result is clumsy and uncomfortable, with their sweaty-palms failing to get the slightest grip on our heartstrings.
In interviews, Orchestra main-man Jason Swinscoe has described Ma Fleur as the soundtrack for an 'imagined film'. And we should be grateful for that - without the make-believe storyboard, it's not hard to imagine this record lapping over into structureless self-indulgence.
On an emotional level Ma Fleur is far too acute and dreadfully artificial. Soundwise it's dreary and directionless - most unlikely to secure your affection. Far more interesting will be the sound of multitudes of music critics, as they rush to retract their premature hailing of Swinscoe as a nu-jazz genius. --Robert Jackman
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Different,
By BJ (London, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Ma Fleur (Audio CD)
I'm a little tired of reading reviews by people who expect artists to keep churning out the same old stuff. It's particularly disappointing from Cinematics fans - who you would have thought would be more open minded than most.
If you're looking for a rehash of Everyday or Motion, you will be disappointed with this. It is a pretty big departure from those two outstanding records. On Ma Fleur, Swinscoe has gone for a more song-based approach. I think the most interesting comment of the reviews on here so far is the comparison with Antony & the Johnsons - the songs featuring Patrick Watson definitely share something in common with those guys. And I guess maybe that shouldn't have been such a big surprise when you combine the Cinematics' lush orchestration with broken-hearted torch songs. For me, this combination - new territory for this group - works wonderfully well. I think the biggest disappointment for old school Cinematic Orchestra fans may be the marked absence of rhythm on this record. Luke Flowers is a brilliant drummer, and his propulsive beats were a key feature of Motion and, in particular, Everyday. He barely features here. But then this is entirely in keeping with the whole feel of Ma Fleur - intimate, downbeat, tender and heartbroken. Is it as good as Motion and Everday? Probably not, when it comes down to it. Ultimately, I think the Cinematic Orchestra are better at creating powerful, brooding instrumentals than they are at writing torch songs. But this is still an excellent - and brave - record.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Mellow jazz,
By DaveW "DaveW" (UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Ma Fleur (Audio CD)
I'm new to the Cinematic Orchestra but I enjoyed this album as a simple, mellow collection of jazz tracks, some more modern than others in style. Minimalist in places and yet quite listenable, making this far less pretentious than I had first assumed. My only complaint regards the opening track ("To build a home") which is alarmingly close to the inexplicably popular blandness of Coldplay (well, if it makes the Cinematics music more accessible to a wider audience, I'll forgive them that on this occasion). Aside from that, I rather like this album and, if the other reviews are to be believed, their other work is substantially better, which can't be bad.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Genius,
By
This review is from: Ma Fleur (Audio CD)
Buy this record. Seriously that's all you need to know.
It doesn't matter who this is by or what they used to sound like, this collection of songs stands on its own as a thing of absolute beauty. I can't remember the last time I was so blown away by an album - and I listen to a lot of music. This is from the very top of the top drawer. Truely exceptional.
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