Strange Education
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Artist: The Cinematics
The Cinematics, with Scott Rinning's elusively, familiar vocals, present this addictive, stylized, moody, but absolutely giddy yearn for life. |
Commentary/Review
I can’t recall why I purchased this single. In fact, I can’t recall if I did purchase it. It may have been an iTunes free single of the week. I recall getting it around the same time, I purchased Peter Bjorn and John’s Young Folks, back in April of this year. I was ridiculously hooked on that incessant whistling in Young Folks, and after playing the video on YouTube way to many times, decided to purchase the song.
Anyway, somehow, I also ended up with The Cinematics, but nothing came of it. I have a gazillion songs, and while I routinely purchase new ones, it’s about a 50/50 shot that I’ll get to listening to them within the first month of ownership. I consider it the downside of digital purchases. But the upside, is that the ”playlist” often introduces me to components of my music collection that I’ve forgotten. That’s how this song, Strange Education, made its way back into my thoughts and emotions. I was culling together a new playlist, hoping to showcase a few new songs that I gleamed from So You Think You Can Dance—Apologize by One Republic, Dancing by Elisa, and Let the Drummer Kick by Citizen Cope. I often start with a few new songs, then let iTunes randomly add items to the playlist.
Well iTunes added Strange Education, and has that been the revelation. My first listen didn’t effect me that much, or so I thought. But often this things have a subtle effect, that catches up with me in my dreams or unconsciously, so I wasn’t that surprised when one morning, while not totally paying attention to my mom’s daily ramblings, I started trying to remember something about an ocean and getting home; and some vaguely familiar vocals that reminded me of Interpol come Echo & the Bunneymen. But, I couldn’t recall the song, so back to my iPod (after saying goodbye to my mom).
I’ve been incredibly pleased to gain familiarity with the Cinematics, even though I every time I listen to the lead singer, Scott Rinning’s vocals, I get a little lost. I’m not trying to be facetious, give the song a listen. His voice just has remnants of something or someone older—a past favorite. The song reminds me of Interpol or maybe She Wants Revenge (which is pretty much like saying Interpol or Interpol, since She Wants Revenge reminds me of Interpol). I then thought maybe the Cure or Echo & the Bunneymen, others have suggested the Bravery. I’m not totally certain, so let’s just say his voice is adept, flexible, both warm and cool. It can have a soft, inviting huskiness to it that makes you want to let it cuddle and cradle you; but it often retains this edge of coolness, emotion once removed.
What I can say about this song, is the beginning hooks me
I’ll walk this long road
Till I find my way home
To somewhere familiar
To lay down my bones
The trouble is, nothing looks the same
The trouble is, I don’t think it ever will
Despite the catharsis offered by the jaggedly repetitive drums and rhythms, I find myself always heading back to the beginning. The plaintive pleas of Have you come for me? Pull me out of the ocean… while entrancing; don’t seem to capture my imagination as much as the simplicity of the opening refrain. It’s literature in lyrics, simultaneously reminding me of Steinbeck’s George and Lennie traveling wearily down the road, with a dream of home, someplace elusive that could be called theirs and the more recent, Daniel Gilbert describing the human condition of looking for and imagining a future in Stumbling on Happiness. Yeah, yeah, whatever both the scientific and the artistic, but that’s what poetry will get you and great lyrics are like marvelous poems.
The song is both theatrical and earnest. There’s something heartbreakingly touching about, yet, the drums and guitars keep you on the verge of dancing. It is indeed, a strange education, and a fantastic introduction to the group. So reach out, give them a listen.
Music Clips
Rating
Lyrics
I'll walk this long road
Till I find my way home
To somewhere familiar
To lay down my bones
The trouble is, nothing looks the same
The trouble is, I don't think it ever will
Oh, have you come for me?
Oh, have you come for me?
Pull me out of the ocean
Take me up in your arms again
Cast away, with the love you send
Such a strange education
Leads me into your arms again
Cast away, lost again
Stars in the dark sky
Pull my mind outside
But this conversation
Wants to bleed my dry
The trouble is, I don't know what to say
The trouble is, I don't think I ever will
Oh, have you come for me?
Oh, have you come for me?
Pull me out of the ocean
Take me up in your arms again
Cast away, with the love you send
Such a strange education
Leads me into your arms again
Cast away, lost again
I've walked this long road
Trying to get home
To someone familiar
Like this voice on the phone
Oh, have you come for me?
Oh, have you come for me?
Pull me out of the ocean
Take me up in your arms again
Cast away, with the love you send
Such a strange education
Sends me into your arms again
Cast away, lost again
Reach out
Reach out
Reach out
Reach out
Reach out and touch me
Recommendations
- Grace (cover version of Jeff Buckley's Grace) at YouTube.
Keywords
brooding, stylized, pop, love, home, interpol, mice and men, steinbeck, george, lennie, scott, rinning, jagged, rhythmatic
Footnotes
(1) Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men (novella). 1937. Wikipedia Summary
(2) Gilbert, Daniel. Stumbling on Happiness. 2005. Random House
(3) AbsolutePunk, A Review of the Cinematic's A Strange Education
(4) Left of the Dial, The Cinematics/Strange Education: TVT Records
Other Details
Genre: Alternative
Categories:
Viewed: 5055
Comments: 4
Permalink: http://www.wide-eyed.org/music/article/strange_education/
Comments
- On 02/17/2008, David Murphey says:
Thanks, will get it off iTunes right now.
- On 03/07/2008, Alnisa Allgood says:
Well, I hope you enjoy it. I did very much.
- On 04/09/2008, mmo says:
“It may have been an iTunes free single” was funny
but on a serious note it’s hard finding great music/lyrics like The Cinematics. My gamer buddy turned me onto them as well and I have been searching for them ever since.
- On 05/05/2008, Newton Faulkner says:
I loved this great song, thanks.