this sad movie
Their group name is a musical direction term for "With Grief" or "With Sadness." Their album title has "Sad" in it. The song titles include "She's Withering" and "She Said Goodbye" and "Why Are You Hiding?" So this ain't no action-packed thrill ride of joy and rowdy mayhem. No: it's pretty much unrelenting sadness and depression for 73 minutes and a few seconds. But it's pretty if you like that sort of thing.

I love the musical texture of these songs-they're a five-piece band now, and they take their melancholy seriously enough to provide some pretty shoegazer synthpop backdrops for it. I love the way that "All Our Favorite Cats" melts right into its musical alter ego "Fractions of a Second," although when they try the trick again later in the album it doesn't work so well. Synths and weepy fake-horn lines, dull drum thuds, lovely sighing vocals…ah. It's like a Goth Prom Mix CD.

They're an American Portishead, perhaps, except more miserable than Beth Gibbons ever sounded. Or they're emo goes downtempo. Or something. All I know is that Kristy Moss and Ed Ballinger, the two singers and songwriters, are bound and determined to have a bad time, and to take us there too. Dig Moss' song "The Happy Girl," where she sings "You knowingly betrayed me and cut me up." Sweet! Have a crack at Ballinger's three songs loosely scooped into something called "The Meredith Trilogy," which starts with delirious love for someone, moves on to watching her die, and ends up by hoping for drugs to hide the pain she left him. Oh, yeah!

But they make a mistake here by just being so damned unrelenting. I mean, Moss can't even be arsed to sound psyched up about "Unexpected Love"--she just croons it in that same old wretchedly crystalline voice of hers. You know what? If you can't get up for unexpected love, then who needs ya? Ultimately, this isn't that much of a bummer, really, because if you're never happy, then you really never know what sadness is. But it's such sweet faux-misery that you might not care what the hell they're saying.

reviewed by: Matt Cibula for Music-Critic.com

Con Dolore's name is the clue to the kind of music you'll find here: with grief, with sadness, with melancholy, with muted concern. This Sad Movie produces a soundscape, sere and bittersweet, creating a story with its pictures.

The band's thesis concept is to make a movie using these songs, with each tune representing a single still frame. The album art cleverly echoes the idea with its "movie" of stills; a series of photos of a well-dressed, pretty woman, who leaves a hapless and clueless male to stand openmouthed on the pavement as she speeds away in a cab, relate the standard tale of love and loss. It has to be the smartest cover art I've seen in a while, and hints encouragingly at the disc's contents. Sampled drums, layered synth and muted guitars swirl with the modulated and harmonized voices of band members Kristy Moss and Ed Ballinger; shoegazer pop meets ambient and a vocoder, and steals some of the best tricks that genre and tool have to offer. "Why Are You Hiding" sounds like the voices in the cemetery in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil; oozing layers of soft soprano drip eerily through the track like Spanish moss, and some of the samples have been distorted to sound inhuman. Guitars strum a very gentle melody, over which Kristy Moss' voice rises, like a younger version of the Sundays' Harriet Wheeler. Toward the end of the song, a xylophone adds a delicately childish and southern accompaniment to the speeding -- but still soft -- guitars. "She's Withering" launches with sliding guitar chords; the drum machines sound like tapping blocks, and Moss and Ballinger's voices create a subtle harmony with the sounds' hushed interplay. Lyrics aren't too important here; I can barely hear what they're saying most of the time. Occasional audible lines reinforce the mood created by the instrumentals: "Push the love from out of your body", "She flies away, she's withering, withering", and so on.

The group claims to love Mazzy Star. While their sound is lusher, and not as stripped to the chassis as Mazzy Star's seminal So Tonight That I Might See, Con Dolore's heroes are definitely echoed in their songs. To tell the truth, I own So That Tonight I Might See -- but as much as I like it, I'd trade two So That Tonight I Might Sees for one This Sad Movie any day.

reviewed by: Jenn Sikes for Splendid E-zine

In the rich, "shoegazing" style and tradition of Slowdive mixed with the dreampop and ethereal aspects of perhaps Love Spirals Downwards, Florida's Con Dolore has completely floored me with their new album, This Sad Movie. The album is tied together with a series of photographs depicting a couple perhaps in the throes of a sad breakup and the album acts as a "soundtrack", of sorts. Whatever the story behind the scenes, This Sad Movie is one of the most outstanding efforts I've heard in quite some time.

The band focuses on the talents of Kristy Moss and Ed Ballinger utilizing a bevy of instrumentation from keybaords, samples, piano, various percussion instruments and more. The result is a lush, extremely warm sound that also has the wealth of haunting songwriting and the ability to harness introspective emotion within it. The vocal harmonies between Ballinger and Moss is well developed and the backing music is constantly busy, yet never overshadowing any other aspect of the music. There is constantly an atmospheric, slightly ambient depth to the music that does remind me of the aforementioned Love Spirals Downwards. But for the most part, Con Dolore exists in the same realm as Slowdive, only less sedated. Songs such as "She Said Goodbye" or "All Our Favorite Cats" have an immensely infectious sound, resulting in songs being stuck in your head long after they are played.

Ever since receiving this CD, it has been on a nearly constant rotation in my CD playing time. Fans of Projekt Records styled music, "shoegazing" music and atmospheric, contemplative rock in general are highly advised to keep an eye out for Con Dolore. This Sad Movie is one of the highlights of 2001.

reviewed by: John Chedsey for Satan Stole My Teddy Bear

Dreamy pop music has been around for a long time, and it will probably be around for an even longer time. It doesn't matter how many times it's played or said, it seems that someone can always come up with a slightly different way of saying things. Con Dolore falls into this category, and although they aren't making any crazy new strides into some uncharted musical territory, they have created a nicely listenable album with This Sad Movie.

Mixing part organic sounds and part electronic, as well as small doses of ethereal rock, shoegazer pop, and the classic 4AD sound, the 13 songs on this album (the creation of which spanned almost 2 years) create a long trip through many different moods and eventually come to terms with the age-old thoughts of love lost. Composed as a trilogy of sorts, the disc starts out on sort of light, upbeat note, and gradually works its way to less-happy places. The cover art convey's this sort of beginning-of-the-end quality photographically, but comes off as much more cheesy than the music itself.

After an instrumental "Opening Theme" that consists of some sound washes and a nice piano refrain, the album gets started in earnest with "The 7th," which flows along nicely with some nice keyboard washes and a nice electronic beat and introduces the listener to the light, airy vocals of singer Kristy Moss (formerly of the band Polar). Singer Ed Ballinger takes on more of the vocal duties on the following two tracks, and they take on more of an organic feel with light guitars, vibraphones, and soft percussion. Musically, the album hits a real high point on "All Our Favorite Cats" and although the lyrics will probably be found silly by non feline people, the muted breakbeat rhythm and plinking electronic sounds compliment the vocals of Moss perfectly (sounding somewhat like a track off the excellent Flux album by Love Spirals Downwards).

Those electronic flourishes are continued on the following track "Fractions Of A Second" (which is basically a cut-up and extension of the themes of the former track) and probably the loudest track on the album "Feed Us All" (which mixes both vocalists, guitars, and a fairly thick beat to a lush effect). On the other side of things, the group has stripped-down tracks like "Unexpected Love" and "The Happy Girl" that are more traditional in sound but offer up some hazy guitars and rhythm sections that recall old Cocteau Twins.

If you're a fan of shimmering sounding pop tracks that don't really fall into a mainstream sounding category, or even like some of the lighter work on the Projekt label, you'll definitely find something interesting on this release. Although there is definitely a unifying feel to the entire disc, the group explores quite a few different sounds within that realm and even though the disc runs well over 70 minutes long, there's enough variety in the tracks to keep you interested up until the end (and even through the hidden bonus track). The lyrics tend to get on the overly dramatic side at some points, but if you're interested in some of the above mentioned artists or the genre in general, it's an interesting release in a glutted genre.

reviewed by: Almost Cool

The cover art for Con Dolore's This Sad Movie album is a photo series showing a boy wooing a sad-looking girl, trying to win her back perhaps, and the girl spurring his advances. These two states of being -- wooing and crying -- are at the heart of This Sad Movie. At one side of the album is a sentiment like "All I know is how I felt when I first laid eyes on you". At the other: "I feel lonesome, I feel tired, I feel broken, I feel wired". In between are years of untold stories about people, about the ways they entice each other, the ways they bless each other, and the ways they break each other's hearts.

Con Dolore play dream-pop, music that floats around in a light, spellbinding way. But their approach is also rootsy and earthbound. That duality is fitting for an album that lyrically is focused on both starry-eyed infatuation and the darker reality of sadness. The group heavily uses percussion and synth, and has both male and female vocalists, Kristy Moss and Ed Ballinger (though Moss's vocals dominate the album). These are two more sonic balances that highlight that bridge between the ethereal and the gritty.

The songs here are melodic pop tunes, yet they swirl around in various dreamy ways. They'll occasionally break into a dance ("All Our Favorite Cats") or a haunting ballad ("The Happy Girl"). They also have quite a dramatic side. Any band that titles an album This Sad Movie and has what is essentially a short film displayed on its album jacket obviously has an interest in cinema or theatre, and Con Dolore cast their music in that light as well. Moss's voice tends toward the operatic at times, and the music always pushes the vocals towards emotional heights that hold little back.

If the group intended This Sad Movie as an album-length audio movie, or as an album with a story to it, at least, I'm not sure if that tale gets told clearly. Then again, the album-jacket photo-story also ends ambiguously (is his escorting her to the taxi a sign of his giving up or a sign of success?), so perhaps clarity isn't the point here. What This Sad Movie does well is get across the moods of sadness and hope. The most blissful song is the melancholy closer, the title song. "This sad movie's over and done", the lyrics go, but still, "I can't let go". Now the storyteller's sad that the sad story has come to a resolution. Sadness is catching, the song hints. And the music is there to support the staying power of sadness, as the song slowly unfolds a mood of quiet resignation -- a giving in to the state of being sad -- and then explodes with a larger, more sweeping sound as the singer confesses that the sadness is impossible to escape, that it's "always inside".

reviewed by: Dave Heaton for PopMatters

Florida residents Con Dolore might just cause their intended audience of shoegazers to look up and take notice of the band's splendid vocals and attractive song structures. Former Polar members Ed Ballinger and Kristy Moss have created a soundtrack for a movie that doesn't exist ... like so many of those moments in your life. Featuring a combination of vocals delivered by Ed and Kristy, the loveliness of girl/boy melodies within expertly crafted songs move the listener.

Following the "Opening Theme" introduction with passing train sound effect, "The 7th" immediately presents the female vocal capabilities of Moss. Sweet and serene, soft and solid, her voice easily plays with emotion whether singing "All I want is you" or melodically scatting "Bop ba da bop ba dop ba baaaaa." Upon a collage-like but cohesive song of synthesizer, looped rhythm, and computer refinement, the song is of the utmost grandeur that could fall somewhere between heaven and Las Vegas: a place the Cocteau Twins first charted in the early 90s. From there, the next songs, "She's Withering" and "She Said Goodbye," should immediately appeal to fans of San Diego's Rob Crow and his efforts with Pinback and Thingy. And like those bands, this band finds fundamental melody and vocal harmony the simplest method for creating songs that exist for capturing what Con Dolore call the "moments in one's life, both joyful and sad." But somewhere between Thingy's more modern repetitious indie-pop hooks and, let's say, Boston's former Drop Nineteen's desirous dissonance, Con Dolore have found a balance that works incredibly well on this 13-song debut. This unique sound is certainly heard clearly on the song simply titled "Dream." Effected vocal verses like "Here in the afterglow of sunset / Your face darkens and it scares me / Shivering, I reach out, are you still there?" give way to choruses of surging, sonic guitars before ending some seven minutes with the album's opening sound effect of a passing train.

For the most part though, Con Dolore transcend all comparisons, including the more mainstream Mazzy Star one, by keeping songs tight knit. The girl and boy duo have created (with other members Wes Snowden [bass guitar and bass samples], Pat Wood [drums and rhythm samples], Todd Elliot [stuff], and Steffen Mathis [piano] providing the details to an overall arrangement) a sound that is organized by thematic intent. Si, Con Dolore esta muy bien.

reviewed by: Thomas Prindle for Delusions of Adequacy

On This Sad Movie, Con Dolore interweaves analog and electronic instruments to make vibrant textures and songs with a big sound. On this album, you'll hear (among other instruments) deep synthesizers, layered electronic beats, distorted guitars, and processed vocals, piano, drums, and acoustic guitar.

With the album lasting about 74 minutes, there is plenty of music to be heard. All songs have a different mood because Con Dolore, as explained in their bio, wanted "to capture the moments in one's life, both joyful and sad, to create the soundtrack we all live by." I think this is a wonderful idea and that Con Dolore did a good job of portraying different emotions, especially with the diverse sounds and instruments they use.

Two of the songs that stood out especially are "Fractions Of A Second" and "Feed Us All." "Fractions Of A Second" has a charming melody. It's simple compared with other songs on the album. There is a xylophone throughout, making its own soft melody and the drums are light and gentle to fit the guitars, which seem to float. The vocals, a boy/girl duo, are more subdued in this song than in others, and they are soothing. "Feed Us All" has prominent synthesizers and electronic drums, which make a full sound underneath the more delicate voices and guitar. The song has a tone and depth to it that's hard to describe. It sounds like it is mostly electronic, but there is a very warm quality about it. This could be said for the majority of the songs on This Sad Movie.

The main reason I couldn't get into this album more is because it is so long. As I mentioned earlier, it plays for 74 minutes. With nearly half the songs running well over five minutes each, Con Dolore could have easily shaved at least two minutes off each song to make a more digestible 45-minute CD. They probably could have done this without taking too much away from the songs, as they tend to go on for a while after I have lost interest in them. Also, I can't decide if I like what the singer is doing all the time. Her voice is usually pleasant, and she is a great singer, but sometimes things get a little melodramatic for my taste with these big, piercing, drawn out notes that happen in nearly every song.

The whole idea behind this album is cool, and the songs are put together well. This Sad Movie is reminiscent of a soundtrack in that sometimes, you are very aware of what's happening in the music because the sound is so vivid and intense, and sometimes the music is so subdued it can stir your emotions without you even noticing.

reviewed by: Scarlett Lindsay for fakejazz.com

Florida continues to prove itself a musical hotbed of creativity with this latest release from Clairecords. Con Dolore’s This Sad Movie takes the conceptual theme of an independent film score and applies it to the world of downbeat electronic pop. The undeniably cinematic quality of many of the songs just barely justifies the overly self-conscious and elaborate cover art.

Essentially, the narrative (told through 18 different color stills in the liner notes) concerns young lovers that quarrel and eventually part. Nothing too groundbreaking there. The lyrics align themselves similarly, dripping with impending pain and emotional confusion. Most of the beats are fairly repetitive and cold, but dollops of vocal manipulation add a nice twist. The mournful, sensual vocal tone (courtesy of Portishead Academy trainee Kristi Moss) brings a healthy immediacy to the proceedings. This Sad Movie is certainly worth checking out if you’re the type that likes to live life through your T.V. screen, or the projections in your mind.

reviewed by: John Wenzel for Sponic Zine

Mournful sound of trains and crowds fade into the ache of a piano. Like The Rachels, like Godspeed, and then it moves into an electronic drone, brining in the music, the band, Con Dolore -- "with grief," and you can hear it in the shadows of the sounds. Kristy Moss, singing soft and seductive, moves between Hope Sandovaal and Sarah McLachlan, while Ed Ballinger, sharing some vocal duties, also lets the guitar slide like a slow Cocteau Twins dream. The keyboards and drum machines are used well, keeping within the structure of the songs, letting the human touch stay prominent. When the two voices harmonize, you can lose yourself in the melodics, never too harsh, and never overdone. Lounge electronica for the sad hipster, an indie soundtrack for a rainy day, and still you walk away smiling.

reviewed by: Marcel Feldmar for Ink 19

Lately my attention has been drawn to Florida with the amazing shoegazing Mira (Projekt), shoegazing pop-rockers Isobella (Clairecords), the interesting and fun indie band Plastic Mastery (Twentyseven Records), and now the electro-indie '80s pop-rockers Con Dolores (also Clairecords). Con Dolore's debut CD This Sad Movie is a rich and uplifting album of catchy synths, sampled drums, beautiful piano, and lush pop female voice. The opening track is a beautiful melancholy piano piece that sets up the rest of the album. When "Opening Theme" fades out, probably one of the best songs of the album slips in. "The 7th" uses fuzzy synths, very catchy upbeat drums, and simply beautiful vocals. Additional synths slip in for the chorus and as the song builds. "All Our Favorite Cats" marches along with an ostinato plinky keyboard part and interesting percussion layered on top just under the lead vocals. When the later instrumental section of the song kicks in, extra synth and sampled vocals are looped and layered. This tends to be the typical formula for much of the album, and mostly it works though sometimes the repetitions could be cut a minute or so earlier. "Unexpected Love", along with a couple other tracks, use guitar instead of synth as the main structural instrument. A drum set is played very nicely and laid back; the song could almost be from a Bedazzled artist. "This Sad Movie", the title track, brings the album to a close with a mix of almost 80's melancholy nostalgia and then a burst of shoegazing fuzz into a repeated chorus. There is a kind of fun marimba track slipped in here, but I didn't feel it was essential to the album, hence it's not being listed. This album would appeal to fans of Mira and other shoegazing acts with a pop edge. It's also a must have for fans of Clairecords.

reviewed by: Michael Otley for StarVox Music Zine

This Floridian group presents a convincing album full of lovely little swirly-pop gems, with enough variety and colors to prove their worth. The most prominent feature of CON DOLORE's sound is undoubtably Kristy Moss's delicate, soft, and gentle vocals, which would fit equally as well on anything from the classic 4AD or Projekt stable. Meanwhile, her band throws down some seriously solid grooves behind her, sometimes approaching a funky danceability and other times enveloping the music in a thick, cloudy shoegazing haze. Electronics and live instrumentation balance each other out well on 'This Sad Movie', and CON DOLORE conjure moods both majestic and introspective here. Most certainly an ear-pleasing confection, and I definitely await future releases.

reviewed by: Godsend Online

Con Dolore, the band begun by former members of Polar Ed Ballinger and Kristy Moss, have made an album that plays like the soundtrack to a movie--a sad movie--or like the soundtrack to a life--yes, a sad life--employing the full palette of happiness and sorrow and framed by a dream...you buying that? Right, well, "This Sad Movie" plays like a movie soundtrack inasmuch as it's drowning in atmosphere and ultimately unengaging. Imagine Depeche Mode if they decided to stop being interesting and never changed tempo. Con Dolore should be applauded for their ambition in taking a shot at the lost of the concept album. But in trying to create more than a collection of songs, each song bleeds into the last; and after any extended period of listening, they become indistinguishable. Synthesizers, drum loops and lazy lyrics about cats create an effect something like hypnotic. Taken alone, songs "The 7th" and "Feed Us All" are pleasantly moody tracks and save you the trouble of having to listen to the rest of the album.

reviewed by: Nathan Milner for Privy Magazine