The band is from Athens (the one in Greece). The label is Brazilian. The sound is darkwave, or as I like to call it, "folks who never got over the Cure." And if you spent your teenage years in the 80s, that's good enough right there.

Cinemascope A Crack on the Wall (Wave Records)

There is a reason this goth-lite sound has lasted so long, however. The best practitioners know how set a hook while finding new ways to express alienation. Easier said than done (even the Cure lost its way on occasion), but Cinemascope has done a solid job.

Adding a bit of electronic experimentation into the synth-laden midtempo construcion that exemplifies this sound, Cinemascope widens the envelope just a bit. The songs themselves are gorgeous and not entirely morose--even in these dire times, one must always find some hope.

While firmly planted in its chosen sound, Cinemascope soars. These songs roll along with spirit and bite, moving along with an engaging propulsive insistence. Well played.

Jon Worley