SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MOVIELAND – THEN & NOW

MOVIELAND
THEN & NOW
604 RECORDS

Vancouver’s Movieland made a name for themselves in the 1990s with their shoegaze style of music. They established themselves due to their music being quite different from the then popular world of grunge. Movieland, as evidenced by this album, wrote, recorded, and performed very melodic, sombre, quieter songs that set them apart from the other bands going for 11 on their amps. However, they did use their guitars quite effectively and made some great music.

The songs found in this collection show a band that was well rooted in the UK’s shoegaze movement, although there are moments when they break out into a more The Stone Roses/Britpop sound. The album opens with “Hello” which taps into The Jesus and Mary Chain territory and the band does it extremely well. They are not copying, but one can hear their influences. Elsewhere, songs like “San Francisco” have a much more original, rocking sound. The song features a strong melody and hooks galore that get into the ear and stay there. “Everything” has a very cool, slow groove to it that brings the listener in and lets them explore the spacious sound of the band. At over nine minutes, the band takes their time to get into the heart of the song, and the listener is well rewarded for spending the time.

There are two versions of “I Relate”. The first version in the collection is a driving force with expert guitar and a very strong bassline. Later, the soft version is a much more toned affair. They turn the song into a Britpop ballad and show how different the same song can be when handled very differently.

The songs on Then & Now are very much of their time. Movieland created some very interesting and distinct music, while still wearing their influences on their sleeve. Then & Now is a great introduction to this well-respected, but for much of the country, seldom-heard band.

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