Midnight Movies - Lion the Girl

Genre rock Publisher New Line/Scratchie External Links Official Midnight Movies Website Official Scratchie Records Website

Listening to Midnight Movies is a little like going to the show and having the feature change to an entirely different film every time you step away for a bag of popcorn or to use the restroom. But this isn't projector trickery; instead, vocalist Gena Olivier - who also plays the drums - is like countless singers rolled into one.

The disc opener, "Souvenirs," is driven by an 80s synthesizer bed that sounds like the group Berlin, which immediately brings their singer Terri Nunn to mind. Next up is "Patient Eye," where Olivier sounds far away, like Stereolab once came off during their distinctive duel female vocal period. But if there's one singer Olivier sounds most like, it's Debbie Harry of Blondie. That's because she goes for that breathy diva vibe on both "Coral Den" and "24 Hour Dream."

A little 80s synth and classic punk sneaks into Midnight Movies plot, even though psychedelic sounds comprise their primary foundation. "24 Hour Dream" is crammed with plenty o' electric guitar, while "Dawn" begins with creepy keyboard. Each distinctive instrumental element acts like an aural drug on these tunes.

When I was a kid, a midnight movie was also a cult classic. This was a not-quite-ready-for-the-mainstream film because there was always something quirky going on in it. Many times these flicks were rock movies. In fact, my first midnight movie experience was Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains The Same. This may have been a relatively straight forward concert film on paper, but anything that featured Led Zeppelin in it, also came with its share of odd attributes. Jimmy Page, for instance, has always been the most mysterious guitar hero. Similarly, Midnight Movies is a rock trio with just enough mysterious charm to keep the listener engaged.