QUICKLY QUICKLY QUICKLY

A sonic kaleidoscope, The Tea Club presents a quartet of songs that appealed to me from the start. Energetically tasteful, Quickly Quickly Quickly never fumbles under its own vigor, keeping the listener engaged throughout with a variety of interwoven sounds and a decidedly symphonic panache.

"Firebears" I knew I would like this as soon as that driven opening blasted through my speakers. The drumming throughout is a highlight, offering enough texture and variety by itself to compete with the tightly woven fibers of sound presented by the guitars and keyboards. Midway through, we're treated to a shimmery, jazz-tinged section with wandering bass and hushed vocals. The enigmatically beautiful vocal melody that closes out the piece is so satisfying.

"The Eternal German Infant" Alternating between hard-hitting incursions and a certain Echolyn-like whimsy, this second song demonstrates the broadness of style The Tea Club is capable of, all while maintaining a respectable coherence.

"Mister Freeze" Temporarily abandoning the motley soundscape for a quiet acoustic song, this contains both mellow and darker passages. It is the album's "breather," but that does not make it any less admirable.

"I Shall Consume Everything" Pairing heavy progressive rock with a bit of a country shuffle and smooth harmonies, this song has the angst-ridden edge of a band like The Dear Hunter, as it gradually adopts more symphonic elegances.