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Every Day

by The Cinematic Orchestra

• Buy it at Amazon.com

An old music-press adage claims that second albums are notoriously "difficult." If this were true, then Every Day should be one big disappointment. The fact that it's arguably one of 2002's finest jazz albums (yes, jazz--as in real, old-fashioned, clarinets-and-trumpets jazz) proves how talented Jason Swinscoe's Cinematic Orchestra are. Following up their impeccable debut, Motion, was going to be tough, but they've surpassed themselves here. While the former was a fusion of sample-culture smoky, backroom jazz, Every Day is jazz pure and simple--old jazz for the nu-jazz generation. "Man with the Movie Camera," "Burnout," and "Flite" are near-perfect soundtrack jazz pieces: epic, shuffling, ever shifting. "All That You Give" and "Evolution" highlight the enchanting vocals of legendary soul singer Fontella Bass. Best of all, though, is the Roots Manuva collaboration "All Things to All Men"--proof that jazz and rap aren't as strange bedfellows as some may think. It's spellbinding stuff and sure to be one of 2002's finer albums. --Matt Anniss