Pram - The Moving Frontier

Feels more like a film soundtrack than an LP to sit up and pay attention too

Album Review by Heather Crumley | 08 Oct 2007
Album title: The Moving Frontier
Artist: Pram
Label: Domino
When The Moving Frontier starts spinning, it reveals a beautifully creepy instrumental called The Empty Quarter, all shivers and suggestion. As it unfolds, it becomes obvious that the prevailing mood is indeed sinister. But, while this is intriguing and diverting for a few songs, by the time the album is halfway through, it all becomes a bit repetitive: some water-dripping bleeps, a keyboard (Casio, piano or organ) hums mournfully, there won't be a major chord in sight and the vocals, when they do appear, sound like they should belong to a Victorian ghost. Save for the Black Box Recorder-esque Hums Around Us, the second half of the album drags. It's pretty in an unsettling sort of way, but it feels more like a film soundtrack than something to sit up and pay attention too, and leaves you longing for some bubblegum pop simply to lighten to mood. Interesting, but certainly not vital. [Heather Crumley]
Release Date: 1 Oct http://www.pram.uk.net