Pram - The Museum Of Imaginary Animals

Pram's fifth studio album The Museum Of Imaginary Animals (2000) is one of their finest accomplishments blending varied instrumentation and unique song-craft. Pram has often been compared to Stereolab, but the comparison isn't warranted as closely as it's passed along. Yes, these two bands have their compatibilities, mainly the use of analogue instruments and obscure musical inspirations. However, while Stereolab is a more basic rock group with guitars-keyboards-bass-drums-vocals setup augmented by session string and brass (and other) musicians in the studio and also relying on more polished production, Pram is a seven piece ensemble who plays all of the instruments themselves and their sonic panoramas sound very natural, yet lush and cinematic all the same. It helps that several of the band members are multi-instrumentalists, an outstanding example being Sam Owen who handles flute, clarinet and keyboards. This group also uses trumpet, theremin and various weird toy instrumentation. Texturally the sonic palette is unique and stand-out. And the songs? While a few of the numbers come off as failed experiments (including an aimless sound effect piece "A History of Ice"), there are at least six good to great compositions on this album. The most outstanding of them is the opening trio of numbers: oddly Björk-ish "The Owl Service" with understated funk rhythms, sad melodies and mournful wind instruments; an electric piano driven upbeat "Bewitched" and "Mother of Pearl" which contrasts melancholic melodies and eerie sound textures with jovial horn charts. Seven minute album closer called "Play Of The Waves" is cinematic jazz at its finest, whereupon clarinet and trumpet form supportive melodic counterpoints, with shimmery keyboards, harps and laidback smoky grooves providing a relaxed backdrop. Recommended.