Dramarama- Cinéma Vérité (1985) MP3 & FLAC

"Does she make you buy her jewelry? Does she make you speak in tongues? Does she tell you about her brother whose got liquid in his lungs?"

Dramarama's debut album, Cinéma Vérité, was originally a French-only release, as an earlier EP had garnered the band a good amount of interest in Europe, resulting in a record deal with the French New Rose label. Not long after, the influential L.A. disc jockey and underground pop-culture maven Rodney Bingenheimer began playing songs from the album on his weekly radio show (rumor has it that he initially thought these New Jersey boys were French). On the strength of "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)," a torrid Glam-inspired break-up song that instantaneously transformed Dramarama into cult icons, the band was invited, with the help of Bingenheimer, to fly out to L.A. to play a show at The Roxy in Hollywood. What followed was a permanent move to Southern California, a domestic re-release of Cinéma Vérité, and a lot of effusive praise emanating from Indie/underground music circles. Taken on its own terms, Cinéma Vérité is, first and foremost, a fine piece of glammy Power-Pop that harbors a number of gems beyond its iconic centerpiece. On "Scenario," for instance, the band mixes the snarling pop sensibilities of The Psychedelic Furs with the rough-edged glam of Mott the Hoople. Another standout is "Questions?," featuring a great embittered vocal performance from John Easdale and some memorable guitar-work from Mr. E Boy and Peter Wood. The album ends with a stunner, the ballad "Emerald City," which consists of a loping acoustic guitar strum, tinkling piano notes, and Easdale pushing his voice into the upper register to great affect. A beautiful way to end an amazing debut that stands as one of the essential indie-rock albums of the eighties.

Cinéma Vérité (1995 Rhino Expanded Edition)
 1. Visiting the Zoo  (4:01)
 2. Question?  (3:15)
 3. Scenario  (4:17)
 4. Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)  (3:24)
 5. Femme Fatale  (3:15)
 6. Candidate  (3:19)
 7. Some Crazy Dame  (3:48)
 8. Etc.  (3:54)
 9. Transformation  (3:26)
10. All I Want  (2:26)
11. Emerald City  (3:10)
-Bonus Tracks-
12. Punishment (Original Unedited Demo)  (5:50)
13. Some Crazy Dame (Demo)  (3:44)
14. Etc. (Early Solo Demo)  (3:39)
15. Want Her to Stay (Demo)  (4:00)
16. Pretend (Demo)  (2:07)
17. You Drive Me  (2:51)
18. A Fine Example  (2:11)
19. If Looks Could Kill (Demo)  (2:58)

MU: Lossy (MP3@320) 

MU: Lossless (FLAC)