Cinemechanica ‎– Rivals 10"

Cinemechanica ‎– Rivals 10"

"Athens bands often seem like a happy accident. While this is undoubtedly part of the charm, and an essential part of it, in the Athens music scene there remains a distinct lack of recognizable deliberateness on the part of a lot of Athens bands. The casual often yields to the lackadaisical. At the opposite end of the band spectrum is Cinemechanica. With near military precision, Cinemechanica routinely fires on all four cylinders and never leaves a musical hair out of place. This is the result of more than simply being rehearsal-tight. It is a purposeful approach to composition and distinction.

Featuring two drummers, Mike Albanese and Jeremy Fountain, the record serves as an audio snapshot of a band that utilized a technique (i.e. two drummers) not as a gimmick or a way to clutter up the stage, but as a deliberate compositional tool.

The band, composed of guitarist Williamson, bassist Matt Nelson, guitarist and vocalist Andy Pruett and Albanese and Fountain, thrilled audiences in 2006 when it debuted its two-drummer attack. It was, in the words of one critic, “apocalyptic.” And it certainly did signify the end of the first era of the band whose previous focal point had always been the twin guitar forces of Williamson and Pruett.

On stage, and on Rivals, Williamson, Pruett, Albanese and Fountain operate in true stereo. That is, Williamson’s playing is coordinated with the beats of Albanese and Pruett’s with those of Fountain. Rather than canceling each other out, however, the effect is that of several clearly speaking people talking to a listener at the same time but in slightly different pitches and tempos. Although nothing is utterly distinctive on its own without careful concentration, the overall effect is musical. In a live setting, it is practically overwhelming." - Gordan Lamb