Album: Songs To Live And Die By  /  Band: 8mm /  Trip-Hop

Reviewed by Milena Brown

Formed by multi-instrumentalist and producer Sean Beaven of NIN and Marilyn Manson, 8mm‘s Los Angeles fan base has lead to huge exposure thanks to their music being featured on such shows as One Tree Hill, Grey’s Anatomy and MTV’s Road Rules.  With Sean Beaven, wife and muse Juliette Beaven and drummer Jon Nicholson, the band’s sophomore album is definitely filled with Songs to Live and Die By. 

The music of 8mm is an eclectic blend of Trip-Hop, Rock and a splash of Jazz where each song plays like a mini-movie in which Juliette portrays the lead role and Sean and Jon are her supporting cast. However, the music itself positively steals the scene.  The band approaches each song with a medley of characters such as the afflicted woman in the sad but seductive “Never Enough,” or the fractured couple in “Quicksand;” however, the album favorite is the unforgettable “Stunning.”  With a seductive video shot entirely by the singer’s cell phone, “Stunning” is a mid-tempo number topped with mesmerizing vocals.

With the album’s opening track “No Way Back,” lead singer Juliette successfully croons about a type of heartache that only the audience can decipher.  “Bones” is lyrically eerie - reminiscent of a woman scorned, but the tempo increases with the guitar-heavy “You Know,” which sounds as if it was left out of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill.  The beautiful “Liar” is a somber song that hauntingly bellows “I don’t love you anymore,” where the singer is in denial about her true feelings. 

Songs to Live and Die By appears to be influenced by Portishead and the various bands that Sean Beaven produced including Marilyn Manson and No Doubt.   A majority of the album is reminiscent of the noir music scene of the 1940’s where the singer’s sultry voice grazed the smoky nightclubs.  Ranging from dark and edgy to soft and jazzy, this 8mm album can be the soundtrack to any cinematic mood.

Reviewed April 2009

About Milena Brown:

Milena Brown is a Publicist and Writer based in New York City.  She is also the Founder of PRessure PR, a public relations company specializing in Lifestyle and Entertainment.  Milena’s experience includes working on various campaigns such as Ice Cube, Danity Kane, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Oxygen Network and even non-profit organizations, JumpStart and The Mentor Foundation.  Milena Brown is originally from Southern California where she graduated with a degree in journalism at California State University, Northridge  You can email Melina Brown here .info@PRessurePR.net

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