A QUIET PLACE

-(This review was written before PA changed Sparkle in Grey from Progressive Electronic to Post Rock/Math Rock.)

Setting their pace since the beginning!

Were they ever prog/electronic? With this in mind and knowing by experience this band´s original creativity, I aquired this Sparkle in Grey´s , 2008, "A Quiet Place", as it seems, their first release.

Well the prog/electronic question is solved in 3 minutes, no they never were. Which on the bright side is lucky for me, because otherwise it could be buried in some more "famous" sub-genres, I do not follow as close.

Track 1 -"Limpronta", resembles later works in the use of voices in off, violin or strings flowing movements, opposite to folk like glitchy/environments. The real deal, as always, is their metamorphical structuring which transfixes the backgrounds basses and noises into frontals, so the main themes share spaces, according to their focused whims.

"Goose Game", track 2, kind of became their first obscure single. An intelligent unorthodox as danceable Blues/Hard-Rock/Jazz-timed track, which does not compromise their knack for experimentation, focused, vigorous but still kept in size.

"A Quiet Place" track 3, is a river of flowing winds, the always supportive and creative bass lines, the trademark violin soloings, and the solid but unobtrussive electric guitars and acoustics leading to the inner multi-figures which usually add up to single songs. By the time you get here, you will hold no doubt that this band has found a very unique way to construct their very personal musical language.

"Teacher Song", track 4, is sweet to the core, yet not overly-sweet. A rare accomplishment, considering the use of every element associated with the term itself, music-wise.

Track 5-"Pim in Delay", brings back previous themes into solitude or different environments. The contrast is rich as creative. The more "out of this earth" electro/acoustic, a lá French concrete music introduction, leaded by a heartfelt electric guitar based melody line that cuts some edge to the dark environments and grows into the "rockiest" and more expansive song of the album, in the tenor of PT´s twisting heaviness. The melody line is superb!

The cd closes down with "Delusion Song". A quick-drone introduction evolves into multi-national forms, which simultaneously project different riffs, counterpointing each other and connected by a leading bass guitar which enhances the frontal passing melody line as the preceding ones. A metamorphical song which dissolves into a lonely and distant music-box melody.

****4 "unpretentious yet daring" PA stars.