Scenic/Lanterna: Scenic/Lanterna In Live Performance

The packaging reads Scenic/Lanterna In Live Performance, but you'd barely know it from these four tracks; Scenic and Lanterna must have the most polite fans in music. That's good, because the almost complete lack of crowd noise and fatuous band/audience banter allows these songs to stand as pleasant alternate takes rather than momentous happenings. It also allows both of these phenomenal pop-instrumental groups to maintain their anonymity, allowing the listener to sit back and enjoy the music rather than the band, which is one of the best things about vocal-less music. Melodic Lanterna turns in wonderful performances of two great songs, "End Of The Tunnel" and "Dragon Season," while the more atmosperic Scenic cranks out driving renditions of what should be its hits, "Angelica" and "Dronia." The entire recording is over in about 20 minutes, which is too bad. It's a great little four-song EP, beautifully produced under less-than-ideal circumstances by two underrated bands, and everyone should own one inexpensive little copy. It's very, very pretty. (Independent Project, P.O. Box 1033, Sedona, AZ 86339-1033)