Movie - White Whales

Movie are a band from New York made up of Austin Barney (guitars, vocals, synths), Jacob Brunner (drums, synths), and Stu Watson (bass, guitar, synths vocals) set to release their new album White Whales on Shatter Your Leaves Records on 7/7.

Branded as "New Wave / Grunge / Experimental" on their MySpace Music page, Movie do indeed take inspiration from the 80s post-punk and late 80s/early 90s shoegaze movement, and bring a new twist by combining those sounds with a highly melodic tunefulness and crisp audio production. Opener "Loomings" is a soft introduction to the band's sound- the listener will find that the whole album gradually eases into the full Movie sound, much like a slowly rolling wave building up into one crashing against the shore. It makes sense, then, the theme of the sea that is ever-present on White Whales. "Island" (see video below) is suitably accompanied by beach imagery, sounding a bit like New Order's "Ceremony", Part II. "The Tunnel" channels a Jesus and Mary Chain-esque vibe in the instrumentation and song structure, cool and catchy, while "Bulkington" and "Ships and Vehicles" drop down the tempo with a somber, isolated feel throughout.

"Inside" (which was the track we'd featured here in our Independent Music Discoveries post including Movie a few months back) is a quintessential neo-post-punk track and would make for a brilliant single. "Clouds and Fish and Sea" turns the spotlight to coldwave, recalling Siglo XX and Crispy Ambulance. "Regret" is a bit sunnier of a track, and awash in some particularly lovely guitar work. "Sound" and "Waves" retain the isolation of earlier tracks, but with a bigger splash of hopefulness. The three part end-suite "Chase" comprises a fuller picture of the textures that are possible in Movie's sound, ending the album strong, with the open avenue of promise for future material.

Along with independent bands like The Watermarks and Burnt Fur, Movie are responsible for bringing modern aesthetics to new wave and electronic elements of the past, acting as a homage to legendary acts like those listed in their influences (Joy Division and My Bloody Valentine) while still innovative.

Movie - "Island" (Music Video)