Track Of The Day THE QUARTERLIES
The Quarterlies are a new band from Norway centered around the songwriting brothers Ole Johannes and Jørn Åleskjær (also Gary Olson, The Loch Ness Mouse, solo), formed with the purpose of sticking to pop’s oldest and simplest formula: drums, bass, guitars and vocals and nothing else. The band name indicates plenty of time, relaxation and a good read, perhaps of, well, your favorite quarterly magazine.
For their first single, “The Sweet Surrender”, to be released today via their Tune-J Music label, the brothers have joined forces with lyricist Monika Toman, who put words to music inspired by guitar Jangle Pop from the 80-ies and 90-ies and bands like Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, The Go-Betweens, Razorcuts and those of the Flying Nun label bands. Or even simpler put, pop songs with verses, choruses and a bridge.
The band consists of Svein Bergsaune (guitar), Frantz Andreassen (bass), Fred Strand (drums) and Ole Johannes Åleskjær (guitar, vocals).
Art work by Karol Dobrowolski and design by Kornelia Åleskjær
The instantly gripping and strikingly refreshing, the song hints at the organic intimacy and precious melodicism of the vocal harmonies and refrains from early Prefab Sprout coupled with the nimble and clean twinkling melancholy of the aforementioned Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, unwinds through steady brisk drums to led crystalline guitars that strum, jangle, and shimmer with swaying fluency and lightness, weaving airy wistful radiance, amid a distorted slightly discordant brief undertow, to bounce poignantly along with evocative heartfelt vocals, layered by ethereal female backup, observing the dreams of another through the bittersweet moment when one accepts help and comfort known as “The Sweet Surrender”.
Meticulously embodying the most sophisticated jangle pop aesthetics, “The Sweet Surrender” retains the perfect balance of freshness, energy, and melodic sensitivity to fully entice repeated listening. A full-length album is in the work for 2014.
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