Pram – The Moving Frontier [Domino]

With only five vocal tracks, the Birmingham oddball avant-pop outfit Pram returns with The Moving Frontier, one of the groups most interesting and finest records in their fifteen-year existence. The nostalgic movie-like instrumentals work wonderfully with time and space, while also making the few songs with vocalist Rosie Cuckston that much more special. With thumb pianos, electronics, strings, plenty of brass and innumerable amounts of other instrumentation, The Moving Frontier creates a lush and consuming atmosphere. Cuckston’s vocal numbers on The Moving Frontier’s are the albums peaks, yet the instrumentals put the entire composition into perspective, only helping to stimulate reflection. In fact reflection sums up The Moving Frontier. It’s obvious that Pram (as all bands should) relied on reflected and sonically documented their findings with The Moving Frontier. As well, The Moving Frontier has an interesting way of allowing the listener to reflect upon the music while the album is still in motion.

Bardos Freedoom