Rage Music: Cat. # 155099
Released October 2007

Track list:
1. Wilderness (4:37)
2. Seen From The Outside (4:49)
3. All For You (3:50)
4. Sienna (4:51)
5. Snatcher (3:49)
6. Like A Bullet Through The Head (5:35)
7. Camera (4:23)
8. No Peace Of Mind (5:22)
9. Elektra (4:48)
10. Sweet Denial (5:15)
11. Standing Up (7:09)


IN BRIEF: Escapist.

There has been a long love affair between film and electronic music in the last half century, an affair that has taken many forms down the years. The frequently instrumental form in which electronic music is most comfortable fits naturally with film, without vocal performances and lyrical messages to distract or subvert the moving image. In return, electronic musicians often aim to recreate a cinematic atmosphere in their work, as score music is adept at conveying important moods and emotions both instrumentally and in shorter, more direct forms than classical.

As well as the wealth of soundtracks using electronic music and the plethora of producers who sample film scores, we’ve seen many musicians move between the two camps. Vangelis is probably the most successful electronic musician to have scored for films, winning an Oscar for Chariots Of Fire, while in recent years we’ve seen a more contemporary crop of producers such as BT, Juno Reactor and Underworld make the switch from grimy dancefloor to silver screen. Paul Leonard-Morgan is notable because he’s one of the very few names to go the other way. The Scottish musician made his name composing scores for British TV, and has already won many awards for his work. On Filmtales he has taken his first step into releasing commercial music under his own name, marrying his finely honed composing and arranging skills with more accessible electronic beats and mature pop vocals. The end result occupies the same hazy middle-ground as Rob Dougan, although the comparison is more conceptual than sonic.

As his credentials suggest, Leonard-Morgan is certainly a talented composer, and never does he struggle for a melody. In fact, the major strength of Filmtales is in the writing. Here is not an artist who relies on production or experimentation to carry his music: Leonard-Morgan constructs tracks with the compositional confidence that tells you he can touch your heart using entirely traditional tools.

Given all that, you might be tempted to think the electronic beats and pop vocals are an unnecessary and gimmicky addition to the mixture, but they’re executed with a surprising amount of taste and proficiency. Jazzy opener Wilderness quickly assuages fears, a mature and thoroughly enjoyable song with the sultry tones of Isobel Campbell prowling across the luxurious double-bass that underpins the track. This isn’t merely a piece of music with vocals put over it for mass appeal: Campbell’s performance is built into the musical architecture and her lyrics, far from empty fluff, add to the seductive mood of the piece. Elsewhere, the three other vocal tracks mix up the formula: All For You is grown-up pop music while closing track Standing Up goes for the sky-scraping rock-infused finale with vocalist Steve Mason bringing down the curtain with plenty of gusto.

Enjoyable as the vocal scenes are, the real attraction of this musical motion-picture can be found in the sweeping sonic cinematography of the instrumentals. Here, in the comfort of home territory, Leonard-Morgan flexes his muscles and delivers some stunning sonic vistas, utilising all his well-practised skills of writing richly evocative music. It’s here that the album’s title makes perfect sense: Filmtales is packed full of moments that tickle your mind into painting pictures and imagining stories. Often the breakbeats providing rhythmic accompaniment aren’t even needed, although they frequently turbo-charge the lush arrangements, adding another dimension. On Seen From The Outside they almost approach drum ‘n bass tempos, giving fantastic urgency to the sweeping strings. Elsewhere, they’re far more languid, providing pleasing variation to match that of the music.

Like the vocal pieces, the instrumentals shift moods throughout, at times yearningly beautiful and at other much darker, while always retaining the cinematic vibe. It becomes a pleasure all unto itself to imagine the film genres that these pieces could score. With its paranoid brass stabs and tense strings Snatcher would perfectly suit a Coldwar spy thriller, while the gentle acoustic guitar and touching piano twinkles of Sweet Denial could elevate the long skyline shots of any emotional drama. These variations on the root idea never fall down in execution.

So far so overwhelmingly positive, but does Filmtales possess that last criterion for all great albums: the one track that outshines all the rest in an effulgent brilliance to become its signature piece that encapsulates everything good about the record in one potent dose? In Sienna it surely does: a heart-stoppingly beautiful piece built around Leonard-Morgan’s favoured combination of gorgeous strings and striking piano. With its soft piano notes that fall like drops of rain caught in the sunlight it’s reminiscent of Thomas Newman at his best, while each swirl of strings conjures up a fresh Mediterranean vista in the mind’s eye. One of those pieces of music that end long before you want it to, it’s the perfect centre-piece to a remarkably accomplished debut album.

Paul Leonard-Morgan is a man of rare musical talent. There are few to match him in all contemporary commercial music, and we should be thankful he has applied his talents to the electronic end of the scale because in Filmtales he has delivered a nigh-on perfect debut album. A name to watch, a record to cherish: a perfect score.

Ace Tracks:
Seen From The Outside
Sienna
Snatcher


Written by SYSTEM-J for TranceCritic.com. May not be reproduced or republished without the consent of TranceCritic.com. © All rights reserved.

Title: Leonard-Morgan, Paul - Filmtales
Category: Album
Sub Category: Break Beat
Reviewer: SYSTEM-J
Related Link: http://www.paulleonardmorgan.com/
Added: April 4th 2008
Viewed: 894 Times
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