Sometimes I get almost overwhelmed by how lucky I am to be editing / writing for NMR. Two releases sent to me today by two of my favourite bands, starting with The Stillwalkers from Finland. I’ll cover The School Book Depository later.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from The Stillwalkers, the band who made such an impression with their self titled album in 2015. A 6 year gap between albums is rather excessive obviously, but it does sound like they’re pretty much there and that a 2nd release is finally ‘imminent’. I’m really excited, but can’t deny I’m apprehensive too – what happens if I just don’t like it?
Thankfully ‘Two Ghosts’ suggests the band haven’t forgotten what they’re good at, with a trademarked melodic guitar riff, as tuneful as Delay Trees but with a bigger, meatier sound. As always with their tracks, there is a melancholy, soulful feel to the vocals and by 2nd listen the instrumental sound just totally consumes me. I know David has commented before that he feels the vocals get lost a little with The Stillwalkers, but to me that’s just the style, with the emphasis on layers of tunes and big swells of guitar sound that head in the direction of post rock.
It’s a blissful indie song anyway, the kind that brings me out in 'goosebumps'. I guess in some ways that makes it similar to the the German entry in the Eurovision Song Contest, although that sends shivers down me for slightly different reasons.
This is ‘Two Ghosts’:
Find them on Facebook.
And read about The School Book Depository here.