REVIEW: Braid, Movie Music Vols. One and Two (Polyvinyl)
- Andrew Duncan
Sometimes things just never die and sometimes things just should not die. Luckily for Braid, it's the latter.
For fans of the Champaign-Urbana, Ill., quartet, there is no question that Movie Music is the ultimate wet dream, featuring two CDs worth of rare and hard-to-find songs. Unfortunately, a 400-word review cannot justify the importance this collection has on the indie-rock world.
Movie Music is a concept that had grown with the band throughout their seven year existence, beginning in 1993. With only three full-length releases under their belt, much of the band's recording history came from a vast development of seven-inch singles and compilation appearances - many are now out of print. Both CDs come with a gazillion pictures, beautifully written commentary and song descriptions, as well as printed lyrics.
Volume One tracks the linear progression of the band's seven inch and split seven inch releases beginning with "Sounds Like Violence," a song from their "early years" that immediately displays the band's trademark of using emotional extremes. Robert Nanna and Chris Roach have the ability to flawlessly change from a melody to screaming at the top of their lungs. Both can be on the verge of falling apart melodically, but manage to come back together and sound good at doing it.
"Motion Light," "(Strawberry Ann) Switzerland" and "I'm Afraid of Everything" is a sobering melancholia that bursts into a schizophrenic frenzy of pounding drum beats and chugging guitars that are part angular rock and part driving hardcore. It is a rarity a band can accomplish this transition without the blink of an eye and never sacrificing quality to do it.
Songs like "Fire Makes the House Grow" takes a little getting used to and sounds like a down tuned Descendants song, but certainly does not create a sour note for the other tunes, especially with gems like "You're Lucky To Be Alive," an unreleased song that resembles what The Promise Ring is successful at today.
Volume Two acts more like a collective mix of Braid songs that explores more with their experimental side. "Elephant" clearly demonstrates this with the help of Kate Reuss on vocals that swirl around plenty of angles and hooks to coincide with stints of linear hardcore. "Eulalia, Eulalia" is an expressive song that really pulls the band together as a whole. The list goes on, including four previously unreleased songs and a cover of the Pixies' "Trompe Le Monde" and The Smiths' "This Charming Man," along with four other cover tunes.
Simply put, this is a creative, conceptual masterpiece that will forever be a part of documented history.
