"This new album is truly a masterpiece and testimony to the gifted talents of Cellarscape. He is able to capture effortlessly emotions that will hit right at the heart. One begins to embark on a wonderful musical journey with this album that when it ends will leave the listener feeling totally elated and satisfied. Make sure pick up this wonderful gift, A Theta/Delta Union, that Cellarscape has presented to the music world."
'Artist Of The Day' (on April 20, 2012)
"Cellarscape is the brainchild of Paul Terry who plies a quasi-Luka Bloom-esque alt-acoustic trade of near-soundtrack inspired pop. I reviewed his earlier work a while back, now he returns with 'A Theta/Delta Union' which brings his haunting compositions to the light with fragile guitars and lush orchestration.
The beauty of Paul's work is the dynamic tension that he captures in the spaces between the crash of a guitar chord and his voice. In his best work there always seems to be a threat of violence, as if it could erupt at anytime. That tension keeps me on edge as I listen rather than sitting back, getting comfortable and falling asleep. His songs actually bristle with a vibrating energy. The whole experience can only be thought of as hypnotically majestic.
This cinematic presence is perfectly captured in opener 'This is a Shelter' with it's crash and stab of acoustic guitar, haunting spaces and underlying threat. It's amazing how dark the song can sound with really not much more than an acoustic guitar, some piano notes, and some strings. 'Snowglobe' reminds me of some of the acoustic work of prog-minded bands like Porcupine Tree or OSI. Mesmerizing stuff."
"Sit and listen to this all the way through... This album is phenomenal."
"Multi-instrumentalist Paul Terry experimental rock in the broadest sense – electronica, progressive, indie, between harmony and dissonance... A dark soundtrack, like ...a drive through the city streets at night. It's an uneasy ride, but sometimes the road is calmer and wonderful pearls of pop flash up."
"Kick-ass music from a great artist."
"In 2009 I had the pleasure of listening to Cellarscape for the first time with their CD Animation, Suspension and even featured the song “The Creek” in a Halloween Podcast. I just got done listening to their newest release “A Theta/Delta Union” and have the song “Always Unspoken” added to the radio player at the top of the site.
For me, A Theta/Delta Union picked up where Animation, Suspension left off. Not that the previous CD was unfinished, A Theta/Delta Union has that same vibe and feel to it. It has those soft, dark, melodic dimensioned tones, that is kind of a cross between Pink Floyd, Alan Parson with some Al Stewart in the mix. Paul’s vocals adds tot he feel of the music. If you sit back, close your eyes and put your headphones on, the vibe of the brilliantly composed CD will set your mind on a journey and experience a trip into the mind of an up and coming talented artist."
"Beautiful. 10/10."
"The mixture of strings and very delicately and thoughtfully used electronic synths creates a powerful world that is very uniquely Cellarscape."
(taken from a full interview & feature with Cellarscape)
"Beautifully intelligent. Utterly accessible. Cellarscape bring a sound for a new decade. Enchanting pop bursting with soul."
'Album of the Week'
"A great album that combines some great acoustic riffs, with great melodies and vocals. Personal highlights: 'You Got The Girl', 'Crawlspace' and the instrumental 'The Blessing Way'. Overall, a very positive album – look forward to hearing more of the same in the future." 8/10
An interesting and varied album, excellently showcasing the multi-talented Paul Terry. This is an ambitious, but generally very impressive, first full-length album from the writer, guitarist, drummer and vocalist Paul Terry, aka Cellarscape. The 15-track album, ‘Animation, Suspension’ is an unusual but altogether triumphant recipe for success. We flick between a reoccurring taste of gentle, acoustic-led songs, a good dosage of epic orchestral pieces garnished with some fierce drumming, several spoonfuls of biting guitar riffs, a jugful of superb vocal harmonies, a couple of cups of catchy choruses and a sprinkling of darker, more haunting moments.
There are some true stand-out tracks on this album with personal favourites including the catchy ‘Shadowfight’ and the gorgeous ‘Patience & Zara’ which includes some truly memorable lyrics, another one of Paul Terry’s many talents. ‘Animation, Suspension’ has succeeded in creating a fairly long album where no song feels like a filler and each track has something a bit different about it, a refreshing breath of fresh air amongst so many up and coming artists that rarely wonder outside their comfort zone, something that Cellarscape is clearly not afraid of.
"I must say, I really enjoyed this album, having listened to it all the way through, there's some really good tracks on here. I played a couple of them out on the radio show and the response we had in was rather good too. Many people inquired as to who the artist was, which is great as this proves the listeners were showing an interest!"
Cellarscape is actually one man and his name is Paul Terry. Terry is a singer, guitarist and drummer, so really he needs no one else. Performing as Cellarscape since 2003, Terry has recorded a series of alt-acoustic CDs. Despite being one man the sound is quite layered (the orchestration is very beautiful), but gentle at the same time. With the delicate sound and his haunting vocals this album sounds very much like a film soundtrack. Though there are plenty of guitar hooks and harmonies, the album is full of atmosphere, 'Animation, Suspension' is largely dark and full of suspense.
Australian radio station Awesome Radio featured one of my favourite acts of all time Cellarscape aka music maker Paul Terry on their Indie Showcase podcast yesterday. The podcast which runs for just over two hours features an in depth interview with Paul who discusses everything from the early days of Cellarscape to the making of debut album ‘Animation, Suspension’ and beyond.
The podcast is also liberally sprinkled with tracks from ‘Animation, Suspension’ which include ‘Bled Out’, ‘You Got The Girl’ the lead single from the album and my personal favourite ‘Patience & Zara’.If you haven’t heard anything by Cellarscape yet, then I would definitely recommend checking out the podcast.
It provides a wonderful introduction to Cellarscape and the debut album ‘Animation, Suspension’ which has already made it on to my list of the top albums of 2009.
It's not often that a soloist can boast an album full of captivating harmonies, catchy drum beats and superb drumming, yet Cellarscape brings it all to the table – and more.
'Animation, Suspension' is an album full of songs that make you think you’ve been listening to him all your life, its instant familiarity despite fusing a whole range of musical styles has got to make this album one of the biggest surprises of the year.
One of the stand-out tracks is ‘Shadowfight’ – a very upbeat, catchy tune with plenty of the multifaceted musical talent that lifts this album.
Yet when it comes down to the basics, Cellarscape really shows how talented he is: 'December Moon' is a hauntingly beautiful song, highlighting both his vocal talent, and his skills as a producer, with the silent gaps doing just as much work as his voice, before flowing into 'Minor Fractures', a rabble rousing anthem which really gets the blood boiling.
'Animation, Suspension' may not have gotten the exposure it deserves, but if you get the chance, listen to the album that can take you from high to low and back again in fifteen perfect tracks.
It doesn't take long after the morning sun before the first dark clouds of the approaching winter settle in, darkening the skies, adding a deeper level of complexity to the day's feeling. With that approaching stormfront, a change in music is required, one slightly more complicated, more foreboding. With that change, Cellarscape makes its way into the player.
The creation of one man, Paul Terry, Cellarscape drives new tension into the alt-acoustic genre. At times light and playful, at others crushingly heavy, punishing, sinister, Cellarscape is a perfect reflection of the atmospheric drama about to take place. Starting off with the Aztec Camera-bliss of ‘Crawlspace,’ it doesn't take long before Paul begins to play with textures and tones.
Shades of a deepening sky blow through the frenetic strumming of ‘Target Acquired,’ then lighten like a passing cloud as the song reaches its elevating chorus. Contradictions in light and dark follow, like the deeply absorbing malevolence of ‘The Creek,’ the frank, gentle beauty of ‘Patience and Zara,’ or the dynamic shape-shifting ‘You Got the Girl.’
Paul Terry has created a shifting soundscape of mood and intention, shadows and passing lights. Turn it on as the storm approaches. See if the thunder doesn't resonate in time.
Fusing multi-layered vocals with fragile guitars Cellarscape have produced an alternative album that defies easy classification.
Cellarscape is the alter ego of the multi-talented Paul Terry. He writes, sings, plays the guitar and drums and no doubt makes the tea as well in an album that effortlessly jumps between genres. It's a virtuoso solo achievement.
After releasing EPs and producing music for independent films, ‘Animation, Suspension’ represents the result of almost a decade's work. Yet Terry does not try and overplay his hand. There are no showy guitar solos or excessive vocals.
Album opener 'Crawlspace' features echoey guitars, mature vocals and has the irreverent feel of a Talking Heads track. The lyrics seem amazed by how beautiful the world can be: "The skyline takes a bow and salutes, it salutes".
'Target Acquired' shifts tone as it thrashes in life with urgent drumming and maintains the momentum with a chorus that is instantly memorable. Crucially the vocal production keeps the louder backing instruments in check so as not to overwhelm the vocals. The paradoxical 'Gravity Can't Swim' features the same heavy drum beat which does not mould with the gentle nature of the song. It may have worked better as an unplugged number.
'The Creek' has a dark, gothic feel more akin to Terry's rock roots. The distorted vocals are inhuman and hellish. This contrasts with the gorgeous strung out feel of 'Patience And Zara' with its insights into the barricades built in a relationship: "Except you and your armour, where did you get it?". 'Treading Water' features a gloriously deep bass and supplements it with the album's most expressive and personal vocals.
From remarkably varied and assured openings to catchy choruses, Animation, Suspension ticks all the right boxes. Some of the song titles ('Where Vanishing Points Dissolve'; 'Minor Fractures') may be attempting to inflate their importance, but it seems harsh to criticise ambition on a debut album.
The pace of the album never dwindles and its ability to switch between songs that could have been composed by Metallica or Tears for Fears only increases its wonder.
Cellarscape's full-length album, ‘Animation, Suspension’, is an unexpected trip through human emotions. Paul Terry records, writes and performs under the name of Cellarscape. This ‘Animation, Suspension’ album runs the gauntlet of emotions and comes out the other side positive and renewed.
Paul Terry works the drums, guitar and vocals himself. His songwriting skills read like a poet’s dream, reminiscent of Jim Morrison from The Doors. He has a way of putting together the words to create a symphony of pictures and sound in your mind. This album is riveting and even groundbreaking, using some magnificent guitar riffs. You will rock out to songs like ‘Minor Fractures’ and ‘You Got The Girl’. Your heart will bleed to ‘Bled Out’, beautifully mastered. In fact, every track is different – Cellarsape travels throughout styles and emotions.
The three tracks I have singled out of the 15 tracks are: ‘Punchlines’ this is an beautiful representation of Paul Terry's gift for both songwriting and vocals. The melody is wonderful and will have you hooked. Acoustic guitar is used in this track, frames the vocals and makes them stand out, while it slowly rocks . A must for your music library.
‘Shadowfight’ is a hard-hitting guitar & drum-lead track. Great vocals! Catchy song. This one will have you up off your chair!! Songwriting is brilliant!! Lyrics and vocals are no less than I would expect from Cellarscape. Absolutely fantastic. You will love this one.
‘Minor Fractures’ – this song starts off with a lone acoustic guitar then breaks into a full frontal rock/pop track. Very upbeat, great for the club! Once again, Paul's vocals are magnificent. Songwriting is impeccable. You will be singing along with this one right away. A song that everyone can relate to. Fantastic Job.
Cellarscape’s ‘Animation, Suspension’ – a symphony for today's music lover. Alternative rock. Experimental. Groundbreaking. Run… get it… play it over and over. Lyrics can be found at http://www.sbrecords.co.uk/ – definitely go check the lyrics out for yourself. They are unforgettable.
What Cellarscape have done with 'Animation, Suspension’ is take the unspoken, unwritten rule book of acoustic indie rock and bend the rules, then throw the rule book out completely. The 15 songs on this album are an experiment to push the boundaries of what exactly can be done with instruments, a bit of bravery, and a good helping of talent.
This willingness to experiment with musical form and arrangement has led to a moment of brilliance. The opening song, 'Crawlspace', is a masterpiece of simplicity, it has a form that is so basic, that if Cellarscape had had no intellect behind their songwriting it could have gone horribly wrong. Then, later on, in keeping with the spirit of the album, Cellarscape takes the concept further with 'December Moon', which is entirely a cappella.
Cellarscape also show an ability to produce songs that have the potential to be stand-alone single releases, 'Target Acquired' and 'You Got The Girl' being the most obvious examples.
So to sum up, especially with the fast approaching word count: 'Animation, Suspension': poetry in motion.
"'Crawlspace' begins the album with a bleak outlook, but as if making amends for kicking you down, 'Target Acquired' holds out a hand to lift you back up again. This is the general theme for the remainder of the album – a roller coaster ride of emotional ups and downs.
This is not an album that aims to be comfortable listening, it sets out to be thoughtful and stir the emotions – even the more upbeat songs speak of some torment.
This is a great, meaningful album which really achieves."
Cellarscape has been the musical moniker for Paul Terry since 2003. Based mostly in London, since 1999 PT has been busy composing soundtracks for the films of British writer/director Paul Williams. The award-winning short film ‘Mightier’ in 2001 and the feature film ‘The Wake’ in 2006 are peaks in PT’s professional career. Recently, a song from ‘The Wake’ was even used for the 2009 Empire Film Awards. Besides his musical projects, Paul is also the editor of ‘Lost: The Official Magazine’.
‘Copilot’, Cellarscape’s debut EP in 2006, was rapidly succeeded a year later by another EP, ‘Fifth Phoenix’ – a much more progressive record than its predecessor. In scarcely a few years, ‘Animation, Suspension’ marks PT’s seventh release, and this new record is 15 of his best songs.
He is a true singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, looking after the vocals, guitars, drums, percussion, and samples on every song. Only Niki Jones accompanies him on bass for 10 of the songs, with James Bellamy bringing a crisp piano to ‘Punchlines’.
The mysterious ‘The Creek’, the metallic punch brought by ‘Bled Out’, and the acoustic ‘Patience & Zara’ are some of the many highlights. On ‘December Moon’, PT only accompanies himself with his heavenly voice, and first single ‘You Got The Girl’ comes with heavy drums alternating with a great guitar riff. This is alternative and acoustic rock that will not only tempt the young folks.”