Paul Leonard-Morgan
- Filmtales
EMI
Frank Zappa dubbed his (mostly instrumental) album ‘Hot Rats’ as ‘a movie for your ears’, And not since the release of that rhythmic guitar-fuelled masterwork has an album put so many pictures in this writer’s head.
Paul Leonard-Morgan’s forte is atmosphere and particularly piano and string arrangement pieces and this release takes the listener into various filmic soundscapes. The fact that he is in his mid-twenties means he has absorbed technique and above all, feel and no wonder his services are in demand by TV and cinema folk, eg the ‘Spooks’ TV series, ITV dramas, ‘Silent Witness’, even the new US Olympic anthem !
Better, Paul is not Vangelis-revisited, he seems already to have his own style. Background notes namecheck John Barry and Portishead but with respect these may be wide of the mark. Portishead’s smack nightmare stories are in a different realm to these winsome pieces, the strings used to bring warmth and space. This guy can use rippling (stringed) harp sweeps yet not sound corny ! Often starting with a two or four chord piano arpeggio, each tune builds a layered impact in PLM’s hands.
Interestingly, Paul does not ape David Arnold who for a few years has brought a contemporary sensibility to soundtrack projects. Only on track 6 here – ‘Like A Bullet Through The Head’ does the Barry-tinged sound come to the fore and if this isn’t an actioner theme yet, it damn well oughta be. The artist does seem to be most at ease in the keys&orchestra setting, but ‘No Peace Of Mind’ has neat guitar work and interplay. Because the artist favours acoustic basslines on many cuts, he avoids the ‘Blaxploitation’ sound that constitutes the biggest temptation to scorers. Clever.
Oh and let’s mention the featured singers, as on four selections Paul has the likes of Steve Mason, Isobel Campbell, Esther ( edge-of-precious on ‘Seen from The Outside’) and Jenna G ( outstanding and soooo right on ‘No Peace..’) guesting.
So often this album puts me in mind of an updated take on ‘Lion In Winter’ and ‘Death In Venice’ classic fimworks. But the tones, themes and mix of the strings for me evoke the atmospheric psych-orchestral arrangements on West Coast rock band Spirit’s early Ode albums, where Marty Paich brought an eerie ambience to John Locke’s keyboard work and Randy California’s glissando guitar lines. Yet I bet Paul Leonard-Morgan has never heard ‘Topanga Windows’ or the ‘Clear’ album !
It would be great to hear what this nascent genius can do with horn and brass ensembles on his next release..please ?
Pete Sargeant – Fair Hearing
