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On their impressive debut, mysterious Melburnians Screenings throw a few bones the way of trend watchers. The twitchy, scratched guitar, grey-day riff and low level funk of "The Double Weave" nod to Joy Division, while "Redeem" takes a step further, into New Order territory. But this five piece are more interesting than that. Exploring the kind of sometimes acoustic, sometimes psychedelic. dark territory mapped out by the likes of Died Pretty and the Dream Syndicate, they create strong atmospheres around sturdy and melodic rock songs.
***1/2 (Bernard Zuel) - SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
There is a certain "something" that defines Screenings sound as distinctively Melburnian. Be it the rough guitar strum calling across town to Paul Kellyehrt , atmospheric organ buxx of Rocket Science or the TISM-esque band member monikers, its a sound that couldn't authentically come from anywhere else.
Phobia Of Sharks is a diverse debut. One minute its lazy guitar twang and a moody Underground Lovers feel that "washes clean your sins and all that ails you" ("Fallen Petals"), the next its bouncy indie rock ("Flat Trap", about a girl losing her way in the world). Elsewhere, stoner surf guitar is awoken on "The Double Weave", while "Continuation of the Underground" scratches like a Dirty Three song on training wheels.
With the Yarra and thousands of scarf-waving football fans providing umbrage, Screenings have bottled and recorded the sound of the city they obviously love with a clear understanding of the best and worst of its history.
****(Alex Goffey) - TIME OFF MAGAZINE
SCREENINGS
The Sunshine Pills Conspiracy Theory
(Hoo/Shock)
Screenings are a splendid little Melbourne band still searching for that lo-core New York nirvana. This record finds them orbiting ever closer to the mark. Some subtle changes have taken place since "Phobia Of Sharks" surfaced in 2005. Esteban Castranza has vacated the drum stool for Dylan Mike Kim-E and the sound has become more consistent and catchy.
Instrumental Dark Pete sets things off in a languid pace that Galaxie 500 were so fond of. Then despite all the glowing melodies and textures, Sunshine Pills and Oh Pity Me (Complications) are claustrophobic songs focusing on sublime paranoia and add new depths of unease for the fans to wallow in. In fact, the latter song is even sadder than that with its reflections on suburban anonimity.
Reflections In A Lone Star Bar evokes the spirit of Sterling Morrison and is a prime cut. It evokes the feel of their hero's and the "Obscurity can be under-rated mantra". Commercial success is obviously not a necessity, but in this case would be deserved. The level of disaffection swells on The Only Film To See and becomes a crackingly wrought song. Daily Dose continues the wry factor, coupling junkies eating excrement with seniors playing cards.
Shared lead vocal duties give the impression of two-bands-in-one as do the sharp tunes. Nicely timed tempo shifts and some swaggering visceral rock'n'roll thrills make Screenings a band to watch. Damn, if it weren't for their meddling day jobs.
BRONIUS ZUMERIS
 - BEAT MAGAZINE, MELBOURNE
THE SUNSHINE PILLS CONSPIRACY THEORY - Screenings (Hoo Records)
Talking about the start of a record is usually an absurd way to open a review because it infers you haven't heard it the whole way through. It's just that "Dark Pete", the moody instrumental opener from the second album by Melbourne's Screenings, is so overtly - and I'll cut them some slack and say unconsciously - early Died Pretty that I flipped the jewel case over and started hunting for the Myers-Peno credits.
Alas, the bass and Brunetti-styled keys were there but Ronnie's jittery yet soaring vocals and Brett's searing guitar failed to materialise by the end. Truth be known, much of "The Sunshine Pills Conspiracy Theory" is more post-punk-indie-pop than Died Pretty's rise-and-swell, sturm und drang. If you rate a band's influences (and there's a direct line to be drawn from Died Pretty back to the Velvets, make no mistake) and they sound more than half decent in their own right, then Screenings deserve more CD player time than three-quarters of the shite that Triple Jay plugs like the Second Coming.
Screenings show an admirable commitment to variety but eschew hard dynamics for shade and colourings. The title track is supple and fairly catchy pop (keyboard line sometimes to grates.) There's a slice of Goth-tinged dirge in "Oh Pity Me (Complications)" just to bring the mood down. "Hit The Floor" degenerates (or elevates) to a Hammond-and-guitar rave up that's just this side of polite.
Likers of lyrics (you are out there) will dig deep and unearth satisfaction from wry urban observations like "Daily Dose". Overall, Screenings are clever and their presence on your typical indie pop bill would raise the IQ by at least a quotient of four. You can tell as much by their web prescene. Dunno much about the people in Screenings but I sure as hell got a laugh out of the bios on their myspace. You might too.
Musically, I never dug early R.E.M. or the Dream Syndicate much and there are bits of both bands littered throughout "Sunshine Pills". That fact alone should win this album a fair hearing from fans of both.
– The Barman - I94BAR.COM
Discography
Album "Phobia of Sharks" released 2005.
Album "The Sunshine Pills Conspiracy Theory" release date August 4th 2007.
tracks can be heard at http://screenings.com.au/sounds.html
http://www.myspace.com/screeningstheband
Photos
Bio
Melbourne based band SCREENINGS return with their latest studio album “The Sunshine Pills Conspiracy Theory“ due to hit stores August 4th, 2007 through SHOCK.
Formed from the ashes of several local Melbourne indie-rock acts, SCREENINGS are perhaps mysteriously known as one of the most overqualified underground band boasting the suspiciously named band members: Esteban and Richmond – the two guitarist/vocalists who like to meld superior melodic rhythms and eloquent guitar lead-isms with unusually ardent vocals, the grinding melodious bass player named Waard with blisters on his blister, the Hammond Organ Player named Wheel-of-Hands, who makes Garth Hudson of The Band look like a wedding band player after way too much cheap red wine, and last but by no means least, the latest addition to the band, playing drums like he is Charlie Watts bastard son, Brisbane’s own Dylan Mike Kim-E.
SCREENINGS bonded musically through their mutual love of the late 70’s New York art rock of bands such as Televsion and Talking Heads as well as the late 60’s output of bands such as the Velvets, the Kinks, the Stones, the Beach Boys and Alan Price’s soundtrack to “O, Lucky Man”.
SCREENINGS play original modern music that transcends genres and critics have compared them to Yo La Tengo Died Pretty, the Go Betweens, Wilco and Spoon to name just a few.
“The Sunshine Pills Conspiracy Theory” is the second album from SCREENINGS and follows their debut album of 2005 “Phobia of Sharks” which obtained notable reviews:
“Exploring the kind of sometimes acoustic, sometimes psychedelic, dark territory once mapped out by the likes of Died Pretty and Dream Syndicate, they create strong atmospheres around sturdy and melodic rock songs.” – BERNARD ZUEL, SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
“Screenings are a local combo who want to put a little bit of New York loft rock into everyone’s lives... colourful characters who appreciate the benefits of Reed-esque pop cycles,
an Eno-esque brain scan and a Talking Heads like tempo shifter.” – BEAT MAGAZINE
“Phobia of Sharks is dynamic in its moodswings; from the sunny Velvets-style guitars of opening track Logic Ways, to the swirling and eddying melodic pop of Fallen Petals”
- RAVE MAGAZINE
This latest album takes SCREENINGS to the next level, reminding us of their richly textured guitars, evocative Hammond organ and compelling vocals.
The first single “Sunshine Pills”, a thumping modern cautionary tale of breakdown couched in a swinging sunny Kinks-esque style, sums up the SCREENINGS sound in 3.48mins of pure rock-pop pleasure.
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