Cinema, Cinema: Press

The other night I went to Piano’s to check out Cinema, Cinema, who have been ferocious the last few times I caught them live. This time around, I was hoping the band would play some new material or at least something I haven’t heard the last three times I saw them perform. Well, I got exactly what I was hoping for. The Brooklyn art-rock collective pummeled through a set of all new songs, and left me wanting more. I sat down with frontman Ev Gold to see where the state of the band is and when we can get a listen to some new recordings.
Tom Duffy: So the name of the band is Cinema, Cinema. To me cinema is mostly a visual experience. Do you go for a visual quality with your songs?

Ev Gold: I’m most interested in spinning out more of a panorama then painting a portrait. To me it’s more about a composite of feelings turned into a message then story telling, although story telling is a great art. I’ve always loved music that I could close my eyes to and see dancing in my head, like in 3-D. That’s what I want to give off when I play, you know? I knew I was doing something right last year, I think sometime in August, I opened my eyes mid-set and noticed a tall black man standing very close to the stage front and swinging freely to the sounds. After the show someone introduced him to me, not that I was Mr. Unapproachable, I was just a sweaty mess in post-gig gear-packing mode. But you see, he had someone introduce him because he was 100% blind. His name was Elliot and he was taken by the set. He told me how he was a musician and what he saw through his ears that night. That’s when I first felt like we were doing something right. Go ahead and call me crazy.

TD: I really noticed the newer songs tonight, ones that I know aren’t on the Viva! E.P. “I Drink Like A Criminal” might be my favorite and also “A Certain Emergency.” Are you guys doing a new record later this year?

EG: Glad you picked up on the new ones. A lot of the set is new. “I Drink Like A Criminal” is a cool new sound for us. I think we are trying to mix gritty solo Lennon, like “Gimme Some Truth” or “How Do You Sleep?” with a turn around that calls on Hendrix – and I know that is bold. We don’t approach the songwriting with any specific plan, but I think we are starting to deviate from that. We will challenge ourselves to go to places we haven’t before. We are going to record a new thing later this year and put it out ourselves. We have thought of just financing it ourselves and giving it away at gigs, I know that sounds insane. We just feel like art should be shared, not offered for green paper. But I guess we need to eat and buy new gear. Look for new music from the Cinema by the fall or around CMJ Music Marathon time, which sounds cool to me.
TD: One last thing – What’s your favorite song?

EG: Wow, so tough obviously. Ok, Lou Reed, “Street Hassle.” Period.

The other day Chris mentioned that the opening bands for our shows together and his solo ones keep trying to out do the other bands on the bill. It looks like that may just happen again on Friday night with the raucous Cinema, Cinema kicking off Knockout Round 5. The Brooklyn based band is a terror live from what I've heard, slamming through sets and really letting themselves go within the music. In order to get a feel for the band for Friday night I've been listening to some of their stuff lately and I am loving what I am hearing.

The band thrives within the punk aesthetic, blasting out music that is at once loud and fast but also built on lush melodies and solid lyrics. Its a combination that most of my favorite bands have which is a good sign for Cinema, Cinema. Of course the true test for any band is how their music stands up live, but based on word of mouth I'm sure I will have no problem loving the band on the stage at Matchless as much as I do when I'm listening to them on my iPod.

Make sure you get your butts to Matchless early on Friday as Cinema, Cinema will be hitting the stage at 8:30pm sharp! It's sure to be another knockout performance!

CMJ Staff Blog Review-
Cinema, Cinema, review, review, Interview, Interview

Last Friday night, armed with my camera and two packs of smokes, I caught Brooklyn band Cinema, Cinema’s blistering 8 song set over at Fat Baby. I got turned on to this bands music about a year ago and their Viva EP is in constant rotation on my ipod. Singer/guitarist Ev Gold looked as though he was going through some sort of spiritual cleansing on stage. He attacked his guitar so brutally that by the time the band was four songs into their set, both his fingers and his Gibson SG where covered in blood. When the band launched into the song Born in NYC, I noticed that I was pumping my fist as if I were at a Motley Crue show circa 91. By the end of the song, the entire crowd had followed my lead. Drummer Pat Fusco is a mixture between John Bonham and Will Goldsmith (yes, he is that good). Pat’s playing reminds me of the good old days when a drummer would make their kit bounce up and down from playing so damn hard. While watching Pat play you could tell that the reaction from the crowd was triggering how hard he was pounding his drums, but never missing a beat. Bassist Chris Tropeano is the glue that holds the band together. He not only plays rhythm guitar style bass, but with every note he picks, his eyebrows move like Jack Cassidy of Hot Tuna.

I’ve been lingering with my fingers over the keyboard for half the day now, trying to figure out what I was going to write about Cinema, Cinema. This isn’t because I have nothing to say but instead is because I vowed to myself that I wasn’t going to make any mention of film in my review. It’s just too obvious to listen to the music of a band named after a movement in film and then to draw comparisons to the world of movies; so obvious in fact that it’s been done again and again in reviews of the band’s music. So I wasn’t going to do it.

But as I’ve been poised here listening to the four songs on my copy of Viva play again and again, I continue to think in terms of film. And the reason for this is obvious when you listen to the music; just like the technique for which the band is named, they take snippets of hyper-focused moments and put them side-by-side to tell you a story. Hearing music by Cinema, Cinema is a strangely visual experience. Images derived from both the lyrics and the sound inevitably filter into your mind and make a little multi-media movie there.

The CD starts with “Four Alarm” which has an instrumental introduction that sets the stage for the initial meeting between the main characters of this audio film. It is followed by the rapid, immediate vocals of “Born in NYC” which is like the high-speed chase equivalent of heart-racing edge-of-your seat viewing. It pushes and pulls you into the music. The story develops with “Sunburn Eyes” which brings the emotion of the tale to your senses and leaves you wondering how it’s all going to turn out. The ending, “343 Miles Per Second” brings a twist, kicking off with a whiny sound that is experimental in nature and leaving you with the image that there is much more to this story than you yet understand.

Accurately self-described as having an “early Radiohead, late Nirvana” sound, Cinema, Cinema is a band that leaves you with a picture in your mind and the feeling that you would probably see that movie twice in the theaters just to get a little bit more insight into it before it hits video stores. Artsy in style, it’s a band that you can see alone, with a group of buddies or as background for date material but you should be forewarned that you’ll leave this sound theater feeling like you’ve been slightly altered by the events you’ve witnessed.

“It looked like someone had been shot.”

Ev Gold, a 28-year-old Park Slope resident and front man for rock trio Cinema, Cinema, describes the gory aftermath of a recent gig.

You see, Gold doesn’t just get into his music.

He feels it, loves it… lives it.

On stage, he attacks his guitar so viciously that his fingers and instrument are often left covered in blood.

“I’m totally in a trance, and just going for it,” Gold explains.

“I’m not playing the music—the music is playing me.”

Coming from anyone else, such a line might sound trite. But from Gold’s lips, the reasoning makes sense.

Gold grew up in Bergen Beach. He was born to teenage parents and a broken home, and admits to having problems with drugs in the past.

During a troubled childhood, Gold clung to his guitar.

Some of us might see a shrink to work out our demons, but Ev Gold writes and performs music as his therapy, and when he’s in front of a crowd, he lets it all out.

Ev Gold is one third of an impressive Brooklyn-based indie outfit called Cinema, Cinema. (They hit the Brooklyn Lyceum on Friday, April 27 in what promises to be a rockin’ good show.)

Cinema, Cinema was born in January 2005. The story of how they got together is simple.

Three guys meet. They love music, they jam, they gel—they perform.

All three members are seasoned musicians and have spent much time banging and screaming it out with other bands.

Chris Tropeano from Mill Basin plays bass guitar.

But don’t expect this bassist to slink into the sonic background.

Tropeano vigorously picks at his bass in the style of a rhythm guitar, and gives this three-piece a surprisingly rich sound.

The band’s website (www.cinemacinemaband.com) boasts that Tropeano’s bass lines will “walk your girlfriend home from school.” Indeed.

Rounding out this trio is Pat Fusco.

Fusco doesn’t just keep time—he sits in the driver’s seat.

Fusco is responsible for Cinema, Cinema’s awesome crashing drums, infectious beats and raging tempo.

Tropeano and Gold are two proud Brooklyn boys who have played together off and on since the mid 90’s.

Fusco, on the other hand, is a New Jersey native, and now lives in Jersey City.

Gold says Jersey City has a “gritty, urban vibe” much like Brooklyn. With such similar roots, the three band mates bonded easily.

As mentioned earlier, Ev Gold isn’t shy when it comes to his guitar.

Gold also gives an energetic and polished performance in the vocal department. His voice is soaring and emotive—even a little Eddie Vedder-esque at times.

The overall sound is a little familiar, but instantly likeable.

The band cites a long list of influences including bands like Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Radiohead, and it’s easy to hear such inspiration in their music.

Cinema, Cinema released their debut E.P. “Viva!!” late last year through Digitone Records.

It is a striking four track release that will leave you itching to hear a full length album. (That is on their wish list too. They’re working on new material right now.)

The E.P. starts off strong with a track called “Four Alarm.” The song is an ode to a teenage love that turns real sour.

You’ll be grabbing some pencils and drumming along to this one—or strumming your air guitar. Yes, it’s that good.

The second track on “Viva!!” is another standout.

Entitled “Born in NYC,” it manages to capture the madness of the City with its edgy poetic lyrics and furious beats.

Ev Gold seems to be in pain as he belts out lyrics like, “Last chance, last night, bombsquad strange light, I’m here, you’re scared… the blankets were the stairs.”

Songwriting is a “serendipitous,” collaborative and firmly democratic process for Cinema Cinema, but Gold takes charge when it comes to the lyrics.

The trio plays about one “solid” show a month. Most of their recent gigs have been in Manhattan, at clubs like the Lit Lounge and Fat Baby.

But they are most content when playing closer to home.

“A good night in Brooklyn is better than anywhere. There’s always a great vibe here,” Gold says. “It’s been so good that the scene has flourished. I feel really lucky.”

Without doubt, the independent music scene in Brooklyn has exploded in recent years, and Cinema, Cinema feeds off of that energy.

Last month, Cinema, Cinema rocked out the Trash Bar in Williamsburg.

The band is positively juiced about their upcoming performance at the Brooklyn Lyceum in Park Slope.

The Lyceum is a century-old bathhouse—a unique and spacious venue, perfect for their big sound.

“It’s a really great space, run by great people—it’s what Brooklyn’s all about,” Gold said.

Cinema, Cinema plays the Brooklyn Lyceum (227 4th Avenue in Park Slope; 1-866-gowanus) on April 27th.

Cover is $8, and it might just be the smartest eight bucks you’ve spent this year.

Check these guys out.

Brooklyn based trio Cinema Cinema have a wide range on display with Viva! With influence such as Jeff Buckley, The Mars Volta and Sonic Youth apparent, Cinema Cinema play hard and takes those bands and blend them together with a sound of their own creating something very new. Keeping the songs tight and melodic, Cinema Cinema avoid falling into any category easy and this is a good thing. While most bands sounds can be traced to Blink 182 and the year 2000, Cinema Cinema draw a little influence from many genres. The vocals of EV Gold sound like MV and At The Drive-In’s Cedric Bixler Zavala, yet other times it takes on a more Eddie Vedder quality. At its most gentle time, Gold voices inhibit’s the same space as the above mentioned Jeff Buckley, no easy or unimpressive feat.

Viva opens with Four Alarm, at first gentle but then evolving into chaos. Cinema Cinema have no problem keep the songs interesting as their musical chops are at all time tight and ready for action. Four Alarm fits in a nice lineage with the better half of the 90’s alternative movement, it is both heavy on lyrics and very musically dynamic. Born In NYC is a great song and reflects a true feeling of New York, residing somehere between Interpol and Sonic Youth. The song is another exciting event, full of explosions and long vocal runs. The music on Born In NYC sees tangles with Gold’s vocals, creating a whirlwind of sound that furthers the themes of the song. With these first two songs, Cinema Cinema have set the bar high for their sound of contolled chaos.

SunBurn Eyes is another strong alternative song and seems like it would be Viva’a best choice for a single. For the first time on Viva, SunBurn Eyes takes a step back in overall tone and energy. It comes just at the right time and is a welcome breather in between the non-stop action of the albums other tracks. 343 Miles Per Second is another song in that lays in the area of the previous track. Instead of choosing to close on a fast note, Cinema Cinema end the album almost sounding like a different band than the one that started it. While the last two melodic mid range tunes are very nice, Cinema Cinema’s talents really shine on the heavy and faster paced songs that opened Viva. Like any band caught between sounds, it is up to them to choose what direction that must travel in

Viva!! Cinema, Cinema review
Music 4M Webzine
May 2006

Think of ‘cinema’ and you will likely think of popcorn, teenagers kissing in the back row and academy award shows. You mind is unlikely to wander to a Brooklyn based indie punk act who have been said to record ‘space rock’. Yet, the groups’ first EP reveals that if their music dwells anywhere it is not the outer cosmos but cinema land, where each song is an individual soundtrack to a movie sequence. First track ‘4 alarm’, with its jangly guitars and stereophonics-esque production is a teenage love story that descends into chaos. ‘Born in NYC’ with its tense vocal delivery and its slow building guitars would soundtrack a passionate romantic scene between two characters, while the final track ‘Sunburn eyes’ would see the characters ride into the sunset. Let’s hope it’s a happy ending for cinema

Space Junkies Magazine
Interview
July 2006


Dave Panfili [Dave]: Hello guys. Could you please introduce yourselves to our audience, and each member's role in Cinema, Cinema.
Evan Gold [Ev]: Hey Dave. My name is Ev and I am the lead singer and the guy in charge of abusing the guitars. To my left is Chris Tropeano, he handles the bass and the guy on the couch over there is Mr. Pat Fusco - the drummer and the guy in the driving seat. We are Cinema, Cinema.

Dave: Who were some of your main influences growing up?
Ev: There was always some Neil Young playing in the background at my house as I grew. I was lucky to get a chance to grab onto some art as substantial as that as a kid. There was lot's of Zeppelin as well. I clung to The Doors very early on and Hendrix immediately following that, leading to The Stones, The Beatles. Then the sounds from Seattle helped me to open up to all the rest that I was missing, what with punk and experimental music (two of my main line interests).
Pat Fusco [Pat]: The Beatles, Kiss, Led Zeppelin, U2, REM, Catherine Wheel, Pearl Jam, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Radiohead.
Chris Tropeano [Chris]: As a kid growing up, I was lucky to have great music playing around the house. Artists like Crosby Stills Nash and Young, the Beatles, Billy Joel, Joe Cocker, Sly and the Family Stone and the Rolling Stones were some of the bands consistently being played on an old record player in the living room. Those were the bands rooted to the beginning of all my influences.

Dave: Who are your main influences currently?
Pat: Radiohead, Mars Volta, Gomez, etc.
Ev: Sunspot memory banks, tucked away in the corners of my deepest thoughts. All the people that I miss and love. All the people lined up waiting for my head. You know, the usual stuff.

Dave: How would you describe your sound to someone who's never heard Cinema, Cinema before?
Chris: I would say that in the end Cinema, Cinema is rooted from all of our influences. Really when it comes down to it we all have a very rock oriented background, so in that regard its all very simple. There is nothing too smart about it; we just have a certain energy when we get behind our instruments. It's not anything that is planned or derived. Hopefully it will spark an emotion in people.
Pat: A mix of Radiohead, Pearl Jam and Elliot Smith?
Ev: Engaging, driving - Life or Death.

Dave: How would you describe the current state of the Brooklyn, New York [NY] music scene?
Pat: Can you say booming?

Dave: Do you feel there's enough outlets and support for independent musicians?
Pat: Sort of, but not so much with us on our level.
Chris: I feel like the scene has slowly become much stronger. Growing up and playing places in the early 90s it seemed as if independent music was dying breed in Brooklyn, NY. Over the past few years though there has definitely been a resurgence of good music being produced. Williamsburg, and downtown Brooklyn have really supported the independent artists, and it seems to be really catching some momentum. The quality and diversity of music coming from Brooklyn has improved and I think it's just an element of the many different neighborhoods going through changes and really cross-referencing influences. It's an exciting time for music in Brooklyn.
Ev: Bloody waters and hungry sharks and then the sad swimmers who don't really know the deal.

Dave: What were some of your most memorable experiences in the music world? What advice can you give to aspiring artists trying to make it?
Pat: The people will connect with the music when they come up to you and sincerely say they dug the music. Advice: longevity. Don't think success is going to happen over night.
Chris: To be honest there is not just one experience that stands out to me. For me, it's really the entire experience. There is beauty in all of it. The creative side of the three of us writing a song together, the experience of creating energy on stage that you can feel is permeating to the audience and really just being lucky enough to play with these two talented musicians are all memorable experiences and something I hold very dear to my heart. Those are experiences not everybody can say they have - those moments, those feelings they are just irreplaceable to me. My advice to those who are trying to make it is that you shouldn't be playing to try and make it. Play because you love it, because that's the only thing that will keep you sane.

Dave: Let's talk a little bit about your new EP. What can music fans expect from this release?
Pat: 4 songs that are catchy as shit.
Ev: I think that they can expect to be listening to their favorite new thing. It's the type of stuff you can put on when you are at the end of the tunnel or just at the top of the roller coaster. It cuts through. It's extreme.

Dave: What inspirations do you usually draw from before creating a new track?
Ev: I wouldn't say we ever draw from the same specific well of emotions or any type of plan work. One thing that I am very proud of is the way that this band creates. We do it all from a very instinctual core-like place. We write from the heart. We never calculate or try to have a certain "type" of song. We let the music that is in the air in front of us naturally filter through our screens.

Dave: As far as record labels, what direction are you guys heading in? What is the main determining factor for you when deciding which deal is best for you?
Ev: Well, we have been talking to different indie's and we actually just shook hands this past Saturday night in Williamsburg with a Virginia based label called Digitone Records (http://www.digitonerecords.com). We are looking at follow up meetings and contracts as we speak. We essentially would like for the EP to be released by Fall, with some East Coast touring to follow.
Pat: Yes, we are definitely more inclined to work with a small indie label, we're not going to be a major label flop.

Dave: Where can we grab a pint and check you guys out in the near future?
Pat: Sin-e, in the East Village on July 13th or Friday, August 18th at FatBaby. Also, in the L.E.S. we will generally be playing one or two big shows a month around New York City and Brooklyn until the record comes out. Then we will branch out.

Dave: Sonic Youth or The Pixies?
Pat: How 'bout both!
Ev: This is a tight one for me. Either one anytime, really. I get compared to Frank Black/Black Francis often. But I am also related to Lee from the Sonics, so how do I answer this question? Probably by not answering it. I've said enough on that. Next question.

Dave: As far as your past, how do you feel your trials and tribulations as an independent musician have shaped you as individuals, and shaped your sound?
Pat: Absolutely. Shaped so much of how we interact and create.
Chris: I feel like all our music is a representation of the people we are. When we write together, it's as if we are trying to capture a feeling or a mood. That mood or feeling can be determined by personal experiences, if you are having a good day or bad day, if we hit traffic on the way to the studio. Many factors can shape the sound we are trying to capture. So in that regard all of these songs are reflections of us at that exact moment.

Dave: What does the near future hold in store for Cinema, Cinema, and where do you guys go from here?
Pat: Coke and hookers.
Chris: Arena's.
Ev: Ahh, how do you say, "We want the world and we want it, now!"

Dave: How has corporate America's trend setting standards in music affected the overall vibe of the music worldwide?
Pat: It's narrowed the scope from a 10-lane highway to a dirt road. There are more talented musicians that don't get heard than do.
Ev: It's sad, but Pat just nailed that. There are 1 million great musicians in 1 million little shacks making great songs we will never hear. Right now! The sadness when a tree falls in the woods with no one to grasp the sounds. It's a worldwide suicide.

Dave: Well put guys. Anything else you would like to add?
Ev: The new record will be out by the Fall. Our new website is up and running and here are the links to check out what is going on with Cinema,Cinema: http://www.cinemacinemaband.com, http://www.myspace.com/cinematwice, http://www.purevolume.com/cinemacinema and http://www.sonicbids.com/cinemacinema. Buy the ticket and we will shake the ride. See you soon.

Dave: Thanks for your time, and good luck with everything. Everybody, check these guys out. You won't be disappointed. Ladies and gentlemen: Cinema, Cinema!

Cinema, Cinema is Evan Gold(Ev) lead vocals/guitar, Chris Tropeano bass, and Pat Fusco
on drums

This is the band's debut EP. The four songs found on it takes an indie rock sound and pumps
it up to the next level.

You'll find jamming guitar riffs mixed with drum beats that assert their authority. Layer on top
of that Ev's rock solid vocals and you have an idea of the band's sound.

The theme of the EP is about love over a lifetime and the different steps involved in that
journey.

If the band continues down the road producing music like found on this EP they should have
a very bright future ahead of them.

You hear the name Cinema, Cinema and you automatically think of a moving
picture, maybe some old B movies... well I do anyway. This three piece Indie
punk group from Brooklyn New York had released their debut
album back in the winter of 2006 and stirred up some serious dust in the places
they played in. Ev Gold provides the vocals and guitars riffs, while Pat Fusco
beats the ol' pig skins and Chris is the thumping heartbeat of a bass player that
cements everything in place. Chris and Ev have played together (on and off) for
over thirteen long years, most marriages don't even make it that long.
Four tracks of punk bliss are recorded on this CD for all of us to enjoy.
All of the tracks seem to carry out their own personal brand of chaos. "Born In
NYC" says it all with it's terse guitar building and rigid vocals, this is where
the boys are from and they sure as hell let you know it. I know not everyone
likes punk, it's sort of like an acquired taste among the chosen few but Cinema
Cinema just seem to draw out and tempt a persons musical taste buds.
All of the bands tunes are created as one big happy family, each person
adds their own edge and style. The CD was mixed at Headgear Studios in Brooklyn
(also home to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs!) and produced by SF Norton. The guys choose to
live in the now and to promote themselves in anyway possible to get their name
out there. I don't think it will take them too long, their CD is going to spread
like a wildfire.