Lebowski - Cinematic - 2010
“Music to a non-existent movie”
[from their website http://www.lebowski.pl]
intro
“Cinematic” is the debut album of the band Lebowski. The Polish band, founded in 2002, brings us a concept album dedicated to the “big figures” of polish and world cinema. Even the band name is a link to the cinema (the film “The big Lebowski” of the Coen brothers). And the lyrics are original quotes adopted from the classical Polish and international movies.
“Cinematic” is music to a non-existent movie.
line-up
Marcin Grzegorczyk – guitars, samplers; Marcin Luczaj - keyboards, synths;
Marek Zak - bass; Krzysztof Paluka - drums
Guest appearance: Katarzyna Dziubak - vocals, violin
review
The album opens with ethnic duduk sounds in “Trip to Doha”. The slow opener immediately gives price the relaxed atmosphere of the album. The music has a filmic (cinematic) character. In the next track “137 sec.” we hear the voice of guest singer Katarzyna Dziubak who sings beautiful vocal lines without words. The relaxed melodies are combined with some aggressive guitar parts and synth solos. But the overall sound stays relaxed and has a filmic character.
This style we also hear in the title track “Cinematic”. The combination with the original quotes adopted from a Polish film works wonderfully well. It gives you the effect of; ... you are listening to a movie soundtrack. “Old British Spy Movie” opens with an intimate piano tune in the style of Satie and develops into a beautiful ballad with a romantic violin part and nice trumpet like synth sounds. One of the bands favorite songs is “Iceland”. The song is written around the voices of Zdzislaw Maklakiewicz and Roman Klosowski. The Polish language gives the piece that special Polish atmosphere. The slow guitar and piano parts have a jazzy character.
The next track is called “Encore” and has a French character. This is accomplished by French voices, accordion and orchestral keyboard sounds who reminds me sometimes of the work of Serge Blenner. “Aperitif for Breakfast (O.M.R.J.)” opens with the sound of a musical box. Again we can hear beautiful slow guitar and keyboard parts. This album includes beautiful and warm keyboard sounds. “Spiritual Machine” is one of the few tracks on the album that is more guitar orientated. It gives the album more balance. Because most of the tracks on the album are keyboard dominated.
“The Storyteller” has a story in itself. The originally drum and guitar tracks where deleted. This gives the fretless bass, piano, french horn and violins more room and the track has got a more ambient character. In the end the Hammond organ and the guitar gives the track a rock accent. “Human Error” is the second track which is more guitar dominated. The fretless bass and the sax give a nice contrast with the catchy guitar parts. The ending of the track is in style with the concept of the album. We hear the clatter of a film projector ... the end of a successful “Cinematic” project.
conclusion
Lebowski has surprised me with this album. An album full of warm, romantic and beautiful music full of emotion. Marcin Luczaj uses beautiful keyboard sounds on this album. The talented musicians are playing for the compositions and the concept of the album. No freaky solo's. The album is in balance and sounds great. “Cinematic” is an album full of beautiful music with a cinematic atmosphere ... Music to a non-existent movie!