- by Mark Perlaki
- Monday, April 07, 2008
We've known for a good while how many holes it takes to fill the Royal Albert Hall. The crown of British concert halls. Our Carnegie Hall. The Fab Four, The Strolling Bones, Jimi, Bob, Floyd, Zep - they've all done their thang there. A great big spherical dome, like a brick burger bun, only with tremendous acoustics. And the end of the road date for The Cinematic Orchestra's latest grueling tour promoting 'Ma Fleur' that seen them fill their full orchestral vision with a performance on November 2nd 2007 with backing from the 24 piece Heritage Orchestra. With a stage swelling to over 40 performers at times, all with have here is the auditory document that captures the coming of age celebration of Jason Swinscoe and co.
Noted for their absence are the legendary songstress Fontella Bass who contributed so much depth to the album 'Everyday', as well as the mercurial talent that is Patrick Watson who gifted the song 'To Build A Home' on 'Ma Fleur'. So Swinscoe has drafted in nu-soul/jazz songstress Heidi Voge, Lou Rhodes (formerly of Lamb) and Brooklyn minimalist, Grey Reverend and all credit to the vocalists who hold their own against the cherry sweet orchestrations
From the lush opening salvo of 'All That You Give' with Heidi's black coffee vocals soaring high amidst the fluttering of orchestral swarms and tooting sax, this is a live performance that's measured and assured. 'Child Song' and 'Flite' give unfettered expression to the improv feel the band eschew that has gathered a cross-genre fan-base unto its' busom, whilst the forteen minute jaazzz of 'Ode To The Big Sea' proves a noodle too much. But it's in the total silences that there's a feeling a magic. The crisp, non-intrusive, respectful silence that allows the song, to - come; to, a: stop! And there is the scale of this glorious concert hall.
'Familiar Ground' finds electro-skewhiffery with PC on turntables casting a sonic spell as the track takes a two-and-some minute intro before coupling with Heidi - "How near/ how far/ how near/ but tell me how far..." - like a Shirley Bassey/Ella Fitzgerald cross-strain that showboats her vocal range elsewhere on the melodic and measured 'Breathe'. Elsewhere, Grey Reverend maneuvres with his minimalism on an acoustic interpretation of 'To Build A Home', appearing like a stray busker playing for his tuppence ha'penny with only a hushed chorus duet and the magical silence hovering over the performer before the orchestra strikes up with sweeping aplomb. Closing with Lou Rhodes rendering of 'Time and Space' which captures all the egg-shell fragility of the song with a child's eye wonderment, "...many lifetimes come and go...", and The Cinematic Orchestra having the final word with a restrained orchestral flourish.
The Cinematic Orchestra 'Live At The Royal Albert Hall' is an historical document as well as a coming of age, fulfilling its' namesake with the help of The Heritage Orchestra. Not for a moment do The Heritage Orchestra upstage TCO, but they manage to swell out the harmonies, providing a rousing and emotive counterpart to TCO's cine-scopic visions. With only one reason to reach for the FF, LATRAH lives and breathes the magic of that night.
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