Review Summary: Nothing more than an album for the group themselves.
The Cinematic Orchestra aren't willing to stick to one formula. While their semi-arbitrary methods and styles from album to album are quite difficult to understand, they never seem to fall in the wrong direction. They've collaborated with various musicians on countless projects, including a movie soundtrack named Les Ailes Pourpres. No matter what the median or collaboration they seem to inject their own atmospheric nu-jazz, downtempo movements within the music. Late Night Tales truly isn't a Cinematic Orchestra production, as its form as already been conceived, it's part of a relatively new series of albums produced to allow the artists' dedicated on each album to create their own version of Late Night music. When asked whether or not you should enjoy Late Night Tales is enjoyable you should ask yourself this question: are you sitting comfortably?
What is interesting about any Late Night Tales album is that the artist or bands involved are truly separate from the others. Snow Patrol, Four Tet, The Cinematic Orchestra, Fatboy Slim, Jamiroquai, and The Flaming Lips have relatively little crossover in terms of similarity. It's a novel idea by the label to create these compilations and what The Cinematic Orchestra bring to the table is exactly what you think of when Late Night Tales and nu-jazz meet each other. Well this edition of Late Night Tales has contributions from tons of artists, spanning 19 tracks in length. Apparently The Cinematic Orchestra have a lot in mind for their version of a late night and want to share it with us.
You can't help, but think this version of Late Night Tales seems excruciatingly long, but interesting enough to keep us involved. As I said the artist contributions on this is astronomical, nearly every track has one main contributor or multiple ones. Flying Lotus' opener on the album doesn't necessarily set the mood, but it fits in the frame; Nick Drake's "Three Hours", a muddy acoustic number with a fantastic vocal delivery. It fitting for a more jazz oriented introduction by Eddie Gale to lead into the festivities "The Rain". I suppose that would be the best thing about Late Night Tales: The Cinematic Orchestra, what appears to be a classic nu-jazz album by these veterans turns into something entirely different by each artist' style while attempting to mend them with The Cinematic Orchestra. It's fun I must say, but at 19 tracks they're stretching themselves. What is simply the most enjoyable moments comes from the true soul/funk artists that use the jazz backgrounds implemented by The Cinematic Orchestra. Terry Callier's You're Goin' Miss Your Candyman is true to its nature with its trumpet and cymbal rhythms it becomes a fun ride, but Callier is by far the best as he elevates the song with his 1950's blues golden era reminiscence.
To be quite honest there isn't much to say about this version of Late Night Tales: The Cinematic Orchestra, if there is then it's by far the great contributions and selections by the group. Its true to their roots and its real, almost 60's classic jazz style with 50's blues is what makes it remarkable. It almost warps you back, but modern tracks like Thom Yorke's "Black Swan" attempt to bend the original version, but this attempt seem futile and really doesn't change a thing. For a group that is so involved in the nu-jazz genre the choices of classic acoustic driven and jazz/blues style music isn't a surprise, but the tracks that do seem to stop the consistency of the music. Let's get one thing clear hear though, this isn't an album for us, its an album by The Cinematic Orchestra and what they feel is the best Late Night album for them, its the perfect album for them, but for the majority of people it won't seem that way.
