Read Time:1 Minute, 21 Second
Take soft, feminine, almost sweet-and-innocent-sounding vocals, put them in the hands of a producer known for his work with Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, and others, and what do you get? If you think the resulting album would be a risky musical combination that can’t possibly work, you’re not the only one. You wouldn’t think it would work—but somehow it does.
8mm’s music does, admittedly, take a little getting used to. I wasn’t sold at first listen, either. The contrast between the sweet, sometimes sultry, often breathy vocals and the edgy, sometimes eerie, often heavy instruments backing it up was unlike anything I’d ever heard. But when I played it again, the ying and yang of the unlikely combination won me over.
Opener, the six-song debut EP by vocalist Juliette Beavan and producer Sean Beavan has a stunning sound, filled with drama and poetry—and grit. Almost like a heavier, edgier version of Dido. It’s clear to see Beavan (Sean, that is) has worked with Trent Reznor. The similarities are often quite clear—but there’s plenty of variety on Opener. Take “Nothing Left to Lose,” for example, with its hip-hop beat and rap lyrics. Or “Crawl,” seductive and bluesy and hauntingly intimate.
You won’t find anything quite like 8mm out there. They’ve got a sound all their own. That may not be a sound that will appeal to listeners with a strictly mainstream, top-40 palate, but if you’re open to a little musical experimentation, give Opener a try. You might just like it.
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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