Moviola - Dead Knowledge

Moviola came on my radar after some passive-aggressive blogging on an addictive site called Tumblr. Their 2007 album, Dead Knowledge (released on Catbird Records), starts sweepingly with "Luka Ravine", like an orchestra warming up in the pit. This album is pure Americana; the sounds were filtered through Kentucky bourbon to achieve an unrivaled authenticity.

Moviola is a band that will always be there by your side. "Rudy" plays like a forgotten song by The Band. Seamlessly produced, the organ creeps in like it was there the whole time, then disappears just as naturally.

You’ll find banjo led songs and vocals that sound strained through a can on a string, all the while contributing to the overall nostalgic feel of the album. Listening to this band in 50 years, you'll feel the exact same sensation – glory.

The tracks pull from a variety of genres but never feel disjointed; the opposite, in fact. Moviola crafted an album, not a series of singles or filler around a hit. Each track feels right just where it belongs, unlike many albums released these days.

I read an amazing line about this album that I won’t try to paraphrase or claim as my own:

"It’s got all the elements that make up a great Sunday afternoon driving record. In fact, as I sit here listening to this record for the second time this morning, I have a pretty great daydream of a carload of friends driving across the expansive Arizona desert, waiting for the sun to rise while the hand-claps and unison vocals on “Tears In A Jar” quietly accompany the silent riders and their big thoughts."

I couldn’t summarize it any better. Dead Knowledge is a satisfying, 16-song slab of timeless, cosmic American music. So grab a seat, have a pull from our bottle and kick back. Feel free to put your feet up on the coffee table. Ties would be loosened if any of us wore ties. Enjoy some of America’s finest untapped music, Moviola.

The Count