Huntsville — Bow Shoulders

Since forming in 2006 Norwegian trio Huntsville have been very much about blending ‘n’ blurring genres and their sonic traits- this they’ve managed in a seemingly effortless & highly atmospheric manner. Their instrumental focused sound sits somewhere between improv, experimental post-rock, and moody jam music, which mangers to sit in its own bracket. For their most recent release Bow Shoulders, the group pull in four guests musicians- who rather push the bands sound in a rather interesting, at points quite dense & abstract ways.

Through this release only recently appeared as a CD on Hubro, the recordings dates back to 2010 when the seven-piece got together to record in the Wilco Loft in Chicago. The line–up here is regular band members Ivar Grydeland- electric & acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar, banjo & electronics. Tonny Kluften-electric bass, and Ingar Zach- drums, percussion, tabla machine, drone commander. They are joined by the following respected sound-makers- Yuka Honda(Cibo Matto & The Plastic Ono Band) - Keyboards, Nels Cline(Floored By Four, Wilco, and many other projects) - electric guitar & effects, Darin Gray(Chikamorachi & You Fantastic!) - double bass & preparations, and Glenn Kotche(The Minus 5 & Wilco) - drums, percussion, and electronics.

The album kicks off with the title track- this is the longest track here at the twenty-one-minute mark. It opens in fairly mysterious & hazed fashion with a constantly looped string ticking, grating & circling percussion atmospherics, and clean-yet different pitched guitar strums. By around the 4th minute mark the layers of guitar strum have built-up, with each having a subtle different pitch- this creates a strange shambling- yet unbalancing quality. As we move on we get the addition of lightly smashing bell elements, rapid & set tabla runs, and galloping banjo tones. All to create a highly hypnotic-if-slightly off-kilter wall of sound, which shifts & surfs with its instrumental genre traits. We reach a formal & joint rhythmic/ harmonic point around the eleven-minute mark, but just when you think the collective is going down the expected grand crescendo- they start pulling apart what they’ve built in a wonderful unpredictable & wonky manner, with runaway & galloping percussion lines, darting & strung-out strums, and all manner of fascinating sound detail.

Next, we have the just over fourteen minutes of “Higher”- here we open with a blend of bright blue sky pedal steel twangs ‘n’ soars, and almost harmonic shimmering & scraping guitar textures. Fairly soon waving ‘n’ wondering country rock bass tones are added, as are tinkling & ringing percussion tones- and the whole thing takes on a short of lopsided & bittersweet shambling groove. But just when you think you know where they're going they add in bubble electronic & scaping percussion to the mix, as well as a hovering organ tone.

Track three is “Lower”- and this nearing seven-minute track opens in a decidedly noisy manner with a crude ‘n’ coarse blend of cluttering, hissing, and scuttling. As we move on we find roaming & piping Guitar textures moving with fidgeting & scuttling percussion detail and growing guitar drone ‘n’ whine intensity. By around the seventh-minute mark, a more formal & rising indie-rock feel is set in, but this subverted by the blend of spinning & march percussion runs, and moody cymbal crashers- all building a splendidly blurring & chaotic crescendo.

Lastly, we have “The Unshot”- which is the baby of the batch at just over seven minutes. Here we find a blend tip-taping tabla, simmering & uneasy guitar saws, and buoyant-to- haphazard banjo risers & shimmers. With the latter addition of Friday the 13th soundtrack-like creepy neck slides & blunt bangs- before moving into darting-yet-soured mix of bouncing percussion, shambling string tones, and finally pitch-shifting discord.

Each of Bow Shoulders four tracks perfectly blends keen atmospherics, sonic unpredictability, and entrancing flow. All making for a highly rewarding and consistent record that really grows in its depth/ layers the more you play it….I really can’t wait for new material from Huntsville.