The Declining Winter – Scenes from the Back Bedroom Window

I’m always excited to hear new material from The Declining Winter – Richard Adams’ previous albums are firm favourites in this reviewer’s house. Melancholic, resolutely Northern, and exuding a warm familiarity, Richard’s music has always sounded like an extension of that produced during his Hood days, albeit with an idiosyncratic twist.

This EP, then, marks an interesting point in The Declining Winter’s development as a project. Whereas previous releases have concentrated on establishing a solid and fairly traditional “band” sound, “Scenes from the Back Bedroom Window” appears to be an endeavour to blur this template and create something which, whilst maintaining continuity with the already laid foundations, exhibits a qualitatively different character.

Seemingly influenced by bandmate Paul Elam’s Fieldhead project, “Scenes from the Back Bedroom Window” has a deep, near ambient, textural feel to it. Opener “Leave” could easily have featured on Fieldhead’s recent “Riser” EP.  Organ chords, granulated vocals, and judiciously applied reverbs combine to form a slow burning, steady state piece – elemental and commanding, this is a far cry from anything released under the Declining Winter moniker thus far.

The subsequent three tracks provide a more obvious link with Richard’s previous discography. But while the guitar progressions feel familiar, here they are seated in stripped back arrangements and swathed in reverb – this is a much hazier record than past releases. The production values feel closer in spirit to those found across the ambient genre whilst not abandoning the established flavours fans have become accustomed to.

Given the limited time afforded by the 3” CD, my only complaint is that this release is too short. It is my opinion that the kinds of ideas here are deserving of a longer form release. The EP finishes just as the listener is getting accustomed to the new direction and ultimately this brevity is unsatisfying. The bold stylistic departure of opening track “Leave” hints at great promise for the future of Mr Adams’ project and further experimentation in this direction would be hugely welcomed.

- Review by John McCaffrey for Fluid radio

Pre orders avilable through Secret Furry Hole

www.secretfurryhole.blogspot.com
www.thedecliningwinter.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/thedecliningwinter