Review Summary: A fantastic album that showcases the talents of both Craig Owens and Bradley Bell. Cinematic Sunrise set themselves apart from other bands in the pop-punk genre.
In 2005, I heard that Craig Owens was going to become the lead singer of then Only in Movies, due Danny Stevens departure to join the Audition, I was both excited and skeptical of the longevity of the project because of Chiodos' growing popularity.
The change of the name to Cinematic Sunrise, and release of "Our Honeymoon at Weston Hills," brought confidence to the musically different side project. As time went on, and lineup changes occurred, news about the project decreased. Then word about the recording of an EP, and more songs posted, brought them back into the spotlight.
From the beginning, A Coloring Story Book and a Long-Playing Record, is quite different than Chiodos' heavier sound, but brings both the brilliant vocals and piano work that made Chiodos' famous, to Cinematic Sunrise's more upbeat, pop sound.
As the record begins, the opening piano riff and vocals of "Pulling a Piano from a Pond," separates Cinematic Sunrise's sound and Craig Owens' various projects (Chiodos, The Chiodos Bros, The Sound of Animals Fighting). The album showcases how talented Craig Owens and Bradley Bell really are. Owens' vocals and lyrics have the ability to make you want to believe what he saying. The lyrics are pop oriented, in the way they vary from love, heartbreak, and the future. The music follows suit and sets itself apart from other pop-punk acts, because of the excellent piano and drum work in songs like "Umbrellas and Elephants," and others featured in the album.
Although I do enjoy Chiodos, I believe that Cinematic Sunrise is Owens and Bell's best musical project to date. The maturity of their sound is apparent in what many to consider a immature genre. I hope that this side-project will continue to future release. Even fans who are more into the heavier sound of Chiodos, should appreciate Owens and Bell's ambition to pursue different music directions.
