Movietone, the Y2K-era British post-rock band, have been hiding in plain sight for decades. You could get into indie music in the 2000s and never hear them mentioned. That might finally change. Last year Mark Richardson wrote a thoughtful retrospective of their 2000 album The Blossom Filled Streets at Pitchfork, and now Domino is reissuing 1997’s Day And Night. The reissue arrives October 16, and it comes with a bonus 7″ of previously unreleased songs. One of those, “Phonograph Space,” is out today.
The track is minimal and intimate to the extreme. It shows off the indiepop influence in Movietone’s sound, a side of the band that never got much attention when they were active. The reissue is a chance to hear them fresh, and “Phonograph Space” is the proof that the band had more than they put on record.
The Band’s History
Movietone released Day And Night in 1997, and followed it with The Blossom Filled Streets in 2000. The Pitchfork retrospective last year brought attention back to that second album. Now the earlier record gets its own reissue, and it brings two tracks nobody had heard before.
The Reissue Details
The reissue is just a month away. It includes the full Day And Night tracklist plus the bonus 7″. The two new tracks are “Phonograph Space” and “Marine Océano’.”
The tracklist runs eight tracks plus the bonus pair. Here is how it breaks down:
- “Sun Drawing”
- “Blank Like Snow”
- “Useless Landscape”
- “Summer”
- “Night Of The Acacias”
- “Noche Marina”
- “The Crystallisation Of Salt At Night”
- “Phonograph Space” (Bonus 7″ / Digital only)
- “Marine Océano'” (Bonus 7″ / Digital only)
The bonus tracks sit at the end of the list, and they are the reason anyone buying the reissue should care. They are not filler, they are the real deal — songs that never made it onto the original release.
The Bonus Tracks
“Phonograph Space” is the one getting attention today. It is a quiet, sparse track that leans into the indiepop side of Movietone’s sound. The other bonus track, “Marine Océano’,” rounds out the 7″.
The two songs together show a side of the band that the full albums did not capture. They are the reason to buy the reissue, and they are the reason to listen to the band again.
Why It Matters
Movietone have never been a big name in indie rock history. Their records never broke through the way some bands did. Richardson’s Pitchfork retrospective brought attention back to the band, and the reissue follows that lead.
The bonus tracks are the kind of material that usually stays locked in the vault. Domino is making a statement by putting them out now. The tracks themselves back up that decision.
What To Expect
“Phonograph Space” is available to stream today. It is a short, intimate piece of music that captures the band at their most stripped-down. The sound is sparse, the melody is gentle, and the whole thing feels like a private moment that somehow made it onto record.
Minimal and intimate to the extreme, the track shows off the indiepop influence in Movietone’s sound.
That is a fair description of the song. It does not try to be a grand statement, it just wants to be heard.
The Full Tracklist
The reissue gives listeners everything. The original eight tracks plus the two bonus songs mean the package is complete in a way the band’s own releases never were. Anyone who owns the original CD or vinyl will want this version to fill in the gaps.
The bonus tracks are the draw. They are the reason to buy the reissue.
The Road Ahead
The reissue is out 10/16 on Domino. Pre-orders are open now. Fans who missed the band the first time around have a chance to catch up. Those who already know their work have a reason to dig deeper.
“Phonograph Space” is the appetizer. The full reissue is the meal. The bonus tracks are the secret ingredient that makes it special.
Our Call
Movietone deserve a wider audience. The band’s records hold up, and the reissue is a strong argument for revisiting them. “Phonograph Space” is a small but telling piece of evidence.
Listen to it today. Then pre-order the reissue. The band’s story is worth hearing in full.
See the video the story is built around at Stereogum.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.