268) Cinerama - Va Va Voom

Ah Dave Gedge, the one-man industry of The Wedding Present nine albums released, festivals organised and has turned up regularly touring somewhere in the UK over the last forty years. However, The Wedding Present did not release anything from 1996 until 2005, so obviously a nine-year rest for Dave, of course not.

I worked with a  guy who was heavily into running so never drank alcohol and therefore had loads of money so pretty much returned every lunch time with a new CD. He was a great guy who, if I didn’t have the CD, would always bring it in a couple of days for me to borrow. He showed me Cinerama Va Va Voom as his latest purchase who I had never heard of, and he informed me this was Dave Gedge new band with his then partner Sally Murrell and was surprised I had never heard of them. Annoying, these smartarses who think they know everything about music!

I liked The Wedding Present so when he offered me it a few days later I was looking forward to Dave attacking his guitar again.

Yes, dear reader I am wrong again. Dave shows his musical chops here. Maniac starts with an answer phone and then a strumming guitar and Gedge comes in sounding the best he has ever sounded, and Comedienne is a bit more upbeat and keeps the quality up.

This is Gedge going down the more orchestral route with keyboards, strings, and harmonising from Murrell. As usual he is exploring heartbreak and the joy/pain of relationships.

Kerry Kerry has a stomping lush background, and Dave launches himself into the song and Barefoot in the Park he explores the joy of a relationship and clearly goes there again on You Turn Me On.

The seriously underrated Emma Pollock of The Delgados sings along with Gedge on Ears a tale of an ex with a new partner that ends with “I just craved to be in his place,” sublime. Hard, Fast and Beautiful equally up there with a simple but effective piano.

Dance, Girl, Dance moves along nicely “Just give me a glance, to show me I’ve got a chance.”

Cinerama, worth more than a glance.

8/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: Ears