The One About an Album
A Modern "Dark Side of The Moon"
TODAY'S RAMBLINGS
3 Minute Read
Happy Monday and Happy St. Patrick’s Day.
Do you know that writing gag I use here, likely too often? This one: “So many have nobody, not once, ever has asked me . . .” I typically use it to warn you an opinion of mine is coming.
Like today, except in this case, one person actually has asked me how I discover new music. That person is my close friend and fellow Bob Weir fanboy Byron Browne IV. And no, this post is not about my pal Bobby - that will be coming in late April.
But I digress.
Byron has asked me that, maybe even a couple of times, and my answer is always the same:
It can happen at any time, from any source.
And by that I mean, it might be a magazine article. An interesting advertisement. Hunter Deuce’s method of using the Outside Lands lineup as a base playlist, and my own of using the guy in Holland’s annual “Best of” lists. I hear new music on random streams on TIDAL and have even discovered new artists by them being mentioned on otherwise non-music podcasts.
And I see things mentioned on social media, and while I loathe Zuck and of course, Elonia, I am on Reddit, here on Substack, and Bluesky. Well, LinkedIn, too, but that doesn’t count.
And it was on Substack, via one of the only 6 subscriptions I have to other writers, that I discovered today’s topic, late last year. Thank you, Songletter.
Those paying close attention at home will remember this is not the first time the matter of Common Saints and the album Cinema 3000 has come up. Indeed, it took home a coveted Portico Darwin Award last year for best album.
So why bring it up again?
Sure, I loved it and found it impressive last November, when I began listening to it. Then and now, I find its musicianship, production, and sheer scale other-worldly and yes, Diamond Certified.
But the thing is, I haven’t stopped playing it. Nor talking about: I find myself telling strangers and friends about it randomly.
Because it’s that good, and it absolutely joins my definitive pantheon known as KLUF: Rock Albums.
That list has things like Innervisions and Space Gun, and other albums that hit me in ways others didn’t. And if you think I’m crazy including some obscure London producer’s project (Charlie Perry is to Common Saints as Kevin Parker is to Tame Impala) with legendary releases from Stevie Wonder and my beloved Guided by Voices, well - that’s why I am bringing this up again.
And I do liken it to another record on Rock Albums, Pink Floyd’s equally other-worldly Dark Side of The Moon. But if you’re afraid Cinema 3000 might be too mellow or even too stoner based on my analogy, forget it. Cinema 3000 stands alone, but it is similar to the 1973 masterpiece in its unity, continuity, and majesty across its entire 56 minutes.
And there’s even a beautiful guest vocal by a female artist (Taloula, on the third track, “Dream On.”), much like Clare Torry’s on “The Great Gig in The Sky” on Dark Side of The Moon. Although Taloula sings rather than howls.
Apart from mentioning that one song, I will not bore you with a track-by-track take. Much better you grab a glass of wine or kale smoothie, and, in another blog cliché:
Listen and learn.
If you really like it, why don’t you buy it directly from Charlie at Bandcamp, as I have? I have no affiliation or connection of any kind, apart from thinking the guy’s album kicks ass.
FROM THE UNWASHED MASSES
Thank you for reading this newsletter.
KLUF
Cinema 3000 is the latest album with which I’ve fallen in love. Let’s do it again: But certainly many none of you are now wondering, “But Portico, what was the first?”
Well, I’ll skip embarrassing moments, including ones I believe I’ve mentioned before, like The Partridge Family, The Osmond Brothers, and Ted Nugent. No, the first album that I played often for a very long time remains a classic, and I take pride we were into Rush way before it was the cool thing to do.
10 Seconds of Seriousness: How way before? I saw Rush for the first time on their tour for the album Hemispheres. It was 1979 and I was in the 10th grade.
Fun Fact: Hemispheres went on to become, and remain, my overall favorite Rush album. Oh, why not . . . this is a post about albums, after all.