Quiet Spring

Going Up Your Country

Written by: BV on 20/01/2015 16:47:49

Throughout the massive attention that suddenly seemed to surround Spids Nøgenhat with the success of “Kommer Med Fred” and the ensuing live shows, there was a sudden void that I seemed to need to fill. I’ve always considered myself a fan of the various off-shoot projects from the core members of Spids Nøgenhat – this including bands like Ghost Rocket, Baby Woodrose, Dragontears and, especially, guitarist Morten Aron’s solo outings – with one release in particular holding a special place in my constantly growing vinyl collection; “Du strør dit korn som DJÆVLENS HORN du høster din mark som du sår” or simply “Djævlens Horn”. Under the Quiet Spring moniker, Aron finally returns with a new full-length release – this time incorporating a wide array of band members from a diverse range of musical projects to record the album as live as possible, giving the entirety of the proceedings a very earthbound and natural feel.

Album opener “Spirit of the Hill” is classic country rock in its greatest form. It brings fond memories of late sixties and early seventies acts like The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Byrds and even a smidge of The Grateful Dead. The opening lead guitar is pristine and crisp, having just a subtle hint of reverb added to it for flavor – a stark contrast to the guitar work most people have now come to associate Aron with through his work with Spids Nøgenhat, but it is nonetheless a sound that is both fitting and delightful to hear him engaged in. The various subtle characteristics of his (and the band’s) playing are easily brought out by the minimalistic recording approach and this helps further the punch and impact of this quite catchy album opener.

With “Today”, a hint of melancholy is added to the overall mix with a beautiful intro utilizing a piano, a slide guitar and a harmonica to really give off that country rock vibe. Aron’s vocals emanate the melancholy the track attempts to convey and although his vocal technique and voice will undoubtedly divide the listeners, I personally find that they are part of the defining charm of the project – adding yet another dimension to the earthbound familiarity and minimalistic songwriting that has come to signify Quiet Spring as a whole. “A Dying Fire” seems to carry on this initial melancholy but does so in a quite Neil Young circa his “Harvest” era sounding way, essentially capturing all the classic elements of country rock in an accessible, catchy and evocative package that will have most people at least tapping their foot in time to the music.

Album closer “Buzz Buzz” reminds me a lot of Grateful Dead’s “Truckin’” – not in terms of chord progression, lyrical themes or anything like that, but more in its semi-psychedelic sort of never-ending groove which constantly mixes everything up with subtle and not-so-subtle changes to an overall familiar formula. When all is said and done, Quiet Spring’s debut, “Going Up Your Country”, is a nicely crafted, well-needed counterpart to Morten Aron’s role in the echoing fuzz-guitar barrages of Spids Nøgenhat. A yin to the yang, some might call it - I prefer just calling it a great album.

Download: Spirit of the Hill, Buzz Buzz, The Devil Rides Again, A Dying Fire
For the fans of: The Byrds, Grateful Dead, Aron, The Flying Burrito Brothers
Listen: Facebook

Release date 05.01.2015
Hookah Records


Related Items | How we score?
Comments
comments powered by Disqus

Legal

© Copyright MMXXIV Rockfreaks.net.