Ma Fleur

Cinematic Orchestra | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 5, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Domino
• ASIN: B000PSJCOC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,710 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #15 in Music > Jazz > Acid Jazz

Track Listings

1. That Home

2. Familiar Ground

3. Ma Fleur

4. Music Box

5. Time & Space

6. Prelude

7. As The Stars Fall

8. Into You

9. Breathe

10. To Build A Home

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Cinematic Orchestra's fourth studio album, Ma Fleur soars from start to finish. The disc opens with the all-too-brief "That Home" which showcases a new guest vocalist brought into the Orchestra clan, Montreal native Patrick Watson whose Coldplay-meets-Jeff-Buckley fragility fits inside the folds of the sparse melody perfectly; his contribution to the sweeping soundscape of closer "To Build a Home" proves equally spectacular, adding an increased vulnerability and richness to the music. "Time and Space," featuring enigmatic Lamb frontwoman Lou Rhodes, offers the perfect combination of vocal ache with the lushness of cello and violin, eventually expanding into a full contemporary-classical-meets-downtempo vibe. Former contributing vocalist Fontella Bass once again brings her timeless soul to the mix ("Breathe" and "Familiar Ground") which will delight longtime fans of the U.K. band. Fans of Cinematic Orchestra's more upbeat hip-hop and jazz numbers from previous releases will discover that there is nothing especially uptempo on this disc; in certain respects, the evenness of Zero 7 discs may provide a more apt comparison, contextually. While that may frustrate some, the power of Ma Fleur from beginning to end is a holistic package of sensuality and softness that makes for a nearly perfect, perfectly timeless release. --Denise Sheppard

Product Description

TCO return with their first full-length since 2002's "Everyday". "Ma Fleur" was written as the soundtrack to a specially commissioned screenplay for an imagined film, which may or may not yet be made. Dealing with themes of loss and love, "Ma Fleur" is fertile ground for Jason Swinscoe's brand of raw-emotion music making. If the mood is melancholy, Swinscoe and company manage to make it an ultimately uplifting experience, perhaps in the end more about the love you find than the love you lose. Deluxe packaging: CD digipak with six photo postcard inserts and double LP 150 gram gatefold vinyl with full-color printed sleeves.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mixed feelings, June 6, 2007

By 

Patrick G. Hodo "AngryPaw" (Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ma Fleur (Audio CD)

There have been plenty of professional reviews of this album that have either loved the new direction that TCO has taken or lamented the passing of a torch-bearer of new jazz. I have to say that I feel both ways. I must pre-condition my review by stating that I am a huge fan of TCO. I own Horizon (a little known release) and have multiple copies of live performances through the years, including their Solid Steel works that are excellent. My interest in them stems from a love of the symbiosis of jazz and downbeats that they perform better than anyone.

When I first heard the single "To Build a Home", I thought it beautiful. I eagerly wanted to hear the rest. When I heard the rest, which is a significant departure from their earlier work, I was a bit let down from the perspective of "jazz and downbeats", but willing to give the album a real listen. My overall impression is that the album is good, but not great. Event the tracks that are closest to the old-TCO style are not as strong as previous work (and sometimes is previous work). Most of the album has replaced the jazz with vocals and replaced downbeats with sparse orchestration. As a result, the album leaves you a bit cold.

1. "To Build a Home". Beautiful track featuring Patrick Watson and piano. My initial reaction has faded into disinterest due to its simple structure and sparse orchestration.
2. "Familiar Ground". Is basically a rehash of their Solid Steel work with the exception of the sweeping sax in the original is gone, losing some of its flare. Fontella Bass is still here, which is great.
3. "Child Song". Closest song to "jazz and downbeat" TCO. Great.
4. "Music Box". Sparse acoustic guitar, with Watson and Lou Rhodes which remind me of a song you would hear in a spa somewhere. Nondescript and empty of signature TCO arrangement.
5. "Prelude". Simple orchestration that seems to want to build to something, but never does.
6. "As the Stars Fall". Another song that hints at older TCO, more along the lines of "Motion" than "Everyday" as far as pace and sound.
7. "Into You". Brings back the sparse acoustic guitar but with Patrick Watson singing almost in the background. Again, nothing special and is gone before any resolution is generated song-wise.
8. "Ma Fleur". A simple orchestration of guitar, bass and sax that builds on a single theme with what seems like a bridge rather than a song. I could see how one could claim that this is similar to Paul Motian's work in its sparseness. It's interesting and has grown on me.
9. "Breathe". A Fontella Bass song that I like and does hint at old-TCO type arrangements. It is slow, however, and takes some listens to warm up to.
10 "That Home" Another Patrick Watson song that revisits the theme set in "To Build a Home" with piano and cello. Beautifully written if not simple in form. However, it finishes before any resolution (again).
11. "Time & Space" . A plodding song of bass and vocals that evolves into a more TCO-type song with piano and a Swincoe background downbeat. The first two minutes are boring, with the last six having some real merit.

So while I like the album, I wish it had more of what I like TCO for.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars well developed, September 13, 2007

By 

lokey (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ma Fleur (Audio CD)

After having heard all previous albums, I was surprised to hear the vocals - but they mesh so well with the Cinematic sound. Each song flows well from one to the next, and from the last to song back around to the first... if put on repeat...it's a fabulous concept album; a short story or perhaps a novel put to music. Listen to it forward and over again. If you like their previous outputs, and you can get into both the pop/ethereal and RnB/hip hop vocals you get here, you just may get into this.... a la Fila Brazillia's jump leads or Jazzanova's latest series of Secret Love compilations. And I love the photos included with the CD - must buy for fans.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't de fooled or disappointed, September 4, 2007

By 

WallyJac (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ma Fleur (Audio CD)

This album has been out a couple months now... I've been a Cinematic fan since Everyday and have picked up everything they're released with excitement and delight. Never have I been let down, nor do I expect to be. I didn't jump on this album the day of it's release because I had read mixed reviews and maybe that is why I got a pleasant surprise when I decided to put my trust in the musical genius of this fantastic group of musicians.
Ma Fleur is great. The problem is, very much like Air, their new albums have a more simplified sound whereas their earlier releases nearly exhausted the instruments they may have had at hand. Air's Pocket Symphony took this path and Cinematic's Ma Fleur did as well. The rich orchestrations and complex movements found in Everyday are traded for a simply beautiful arrangement of more simplified tones and movements. This CD in its entirity is not a let down, to me at least.
The first time I played it, I thought it was pretty good, but I was somewhat unaffected by it. The second time I played it, I couldn't have picked a favorite song if I tried.
The lesson being, Cinematic Orchestra has not failed to disappoint us at all. You just might find yourself looking for something that isn't there - and you don't slay an album just because of expectations...