Winona: Rosebud
Monday, 10 Mar 2008 17:40
Winona: More the electro-ambient variety than the elfin actress.
Annalog Records, out March 10th.
In a nutshell...
Electro, soundtrack, imitation, spoilt, flawed
What's it all about?
The first album from Craig Armstrong and Scott Fraser, Winona is a 12-track homage to electro pioneers and celluloid dudes. Its variety is impressive, however the pair so closely imitate their idols they fail to reveal any identity of their own. Celebrity is arguably their most identifiable tune and worthy of radio play. Lyrical contributions from Lucy Pullin appear on alternate tracks and compliment Armstrong and Fraser's programming skills. A tale of two halves, Winona comes into its own after Without You drags the album back up-tempo, following De Nada's nadir.
Who's it by?
Armstrong and Fraser are from Scotland and 'master musicians'. Armstrong is a celebrated songwriter and according to the PR horror, which accompanied the promo, is "the most significant film composer of his generation" (He really is rather good - Ents Ed). Lucy Pullin and actress Laurence Ashley make up the creation that is Winona.
Utterly self -absorbed and delusionary statements referencing Yukio Mishima's poetry, coffee in the Campo Dei Fiori (near Watford, I think) and likening themselves to, wait for it, Brian Eno complete their introduction.
As an example...
"On and on and on and on, I hate your ways, I hate your clothes/I just want you to feel the same way I feel, take off and landing." – Indigenous.
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
No cigar – should make the advertising industry happy, could get to movie soundtrack stardom and Celebrity should chart well.
What the others say
"Rosebud is best described as unforgiving cinematic glacial European pop with an intelligently textured twist." - Gigwise
So is it any good?
Not a good start. Rarely has a cover said so much about an album or its creators. The blatant THX1138 imitation only added to the glass snortingly enjoyable PR spiel. Track one, TheWhiteRoom (perhaps a further reference to the sci-fi classic) is so full of reminiscent sounds, it forgets itself. Although Celebrity, which follows, is more commercial, well-constructed and could rub digital shoulders with Air's Sexy Boy.
Sadly, Armstrong and Fraser can't resist indulging their love of Massive Attack and rip off the Bristol legends' tinkering piano on Max. As if saddened by such thievery, the following track, De Nada, wallows in its own plagiarism.
Ignoring the contrived, French voice and horrible operatic samples, it does get better, much better.
Indigenous and You Can Dance, I Can't both point to a strong future for the pair. And at the last minute, they produce sounds akin to Eno's Apollo recordings, when he reclaimed frequencies sprinkled with moondust. Damn! They made it in the end.
6 /10
Mark Pawlak
"'Sadly, Armstrong and Fraser can't resist indulging their love of Massive Attack and rip off the Bristol legends' tinkering piano on Max' - Mark Pawlak if you were in any way competent you would know that Armstrong played the f****ng piano for Massive Attack you stupid ****." - Iain Mackenzie
"I agree. Mark Pawlak is very ignorant. Craig Armstrong actually co-wrote tracks with Massive Attack like Weather Storm etc. Get your facts straight before you accuse one of the best musicians there is of ripping off himself. Maybe you should listen to a few records before attempting another "review"." - Derek Brown
"Armstrong did play piano on Weather Storm, but he is not credited for it on Protection and to knock out the samey 1994 sounds is poor form and therefore he is ripping himself off. No need for the bad language, un-paid reviewer making good points can't always know everything." - Stephen Guy
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