Search - In the Nursery :: The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari

For completists only

05/13/1998

(2 out of 5 stars)

"In the Nursery was commissioned to write a new soundtrack for this silent expressionist film when it was rereleased in 1996, and, given the soundtrack-like nature of their past work, you'd think they'd come up with something wonderful. Well, you'd be wrong--it's probably their only failure. Strange, really, considering that this album garnered a great deal of attention and critical praise when it was released. (Where were these same critics when "Anatomy of a Poet" or "Duality" came out?) Anyway, the sound that ITN fans have come to love--the military snare, the sweeping strings, the ethereal female vocals--are not too much in evidence here. Instead, ITN come up with a rather experimental disc built around one repeated cello refrain. Lots of clanky sounds of film running through a projector and assorted other kitchen-sink-type noises linger in the mix, and you keep waiting for something to happen--for the cellos to *do* something, for Chrissake!--but nothing seems to come to fruition. Maybe that's what they were going for, and if so, fine. "Caligari" was in many ways an experimental film, so perhaps an album to complement that quality was called for. Doesn't mean I have to like it."

Brilliant!!

06/29/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Very eerie and hypnotic repetition on this cd. The Humberstone twins throw their most elitist and closed-minded listeners a radical curveball with the near ambient-like qualities on this album. Truly ranks amongst their best work ever but at the same time is not for the closed-minded."