Customer Reviews

Cinema

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

1986's Cinema was actually my first exposure to Nazareth, so I'm not as hard on the album as some fans. I can see how it might be disappointing to some of the band's long-time fans, but expecting a 70's era rock band to maintain that 70's style in the mid 1980's is somewhat unrealistic. Bands like Deep Purple, Rainbow, Whitesnake all modified their sound (some more than others) to keep up with the times, and I think Nazareth managed to do the same without losing too much of their edge.

It may not be Hair of the Dog Part II, but I found Cinema to be a very solid rock & roll album. Sure, there are keyboards and an unmistakable 80's production, but that raucous Nazareth sound is still in place, as are Dan McCafferty's trademark gravelly vocals. Songs like Just Another Heartache, Other Side of You, and Hit the Fan are good examples of Nazareth's rocking sound, while the title track and One From the Heart bring that sound into the 80's. The real highlight of Cinema is the powerful ballad A Veteran's Song, which is as relevant today as it was two decades ago.

I probably wouldn't recommend Cinema to first-time Nazareth listeners because it really isn't as representative of the band's overall sound as some of their earlier albums. It did the trick for me though, and was more than enough to get me to check out the band's other releases.

NOTE: Castle/Sanctuary's 1997 reissue of Cinema features digitally remastered sound as well as a pair of bonus tracks - alternate versions of Just Another Heartache and A Veteran's Song. The bonus tracks are throwaways, but the remastering is a definite plus.

Nazareth had a few mediocre cds in the 80's they started out with the classic 'malice in wonderland" in 1980 though. but by this time the edge was gone it seemed. The catch was a new wavey item that turned naz fans off mainly ,then the band released this one and it's a good rockin cd. This is a fine nazareth cd with songs like 'cinema' , 'veterans song" , and 'salty salty" I can't see why most rock fans would find this one a decent buy. although obviously it's not up to the level as 'no mean city' it's a good rockin disc. I gave it four stars because it was so much better than the last few naz cd's that came before it. And those weren't terrible cds imo at all just not up to what the band was capable of.

Hi everyone After some lean years in the 80's this album just blew me away,this is exactly why I fell in love with their music in the 70's with any kinda of promotion this album could have been huge here in the states. not one bad track on the platter. I have naz's complete collection and this is a must have.

Cinema is a solid effort. To some extent it marks a return to form for the band as it contains a number of straight-ahead rockers with a few slower numbers mixed in for good measure. The production on the remastered version is very good, although the two extra tracks are disappointing in that they are very similar to the main versions already included on the CD. Highlights include the raucous "Salty Salty" and haunting "A Veteran's Song".

About as bad as the first two Nazareth albums, the band has come full circle. The writing is awful. The one star come from the fact that the band is very capable of playing well, but the material is just not up to snuff!

At this point I thought the band was finished but when Manny left and Billy Rankin returned the band was revitalized! (No offence to Manny as his riffs made the band the best rockers in the mid 70's!)

With Billy on board the band created the excellent "No Jive" and "Move Me" CD's. Save your dollars for these much better efforts that are as good as the band's 1970's heydays!!