Be careful running into the soundscape of Quiet Brother; you may get lost.
Emerging from the wonderfully charming city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, this equally charming indie group illuminates a familiar sound of nostalgia.
Band members, and close college friends, Jake Bair, Nate Elder, and Andrew Galuppo. have surprisingly only just begun releasing this new sweet sound over the past year. As they gift their songs from the studio to the internet, they’ve enticed me into their enveloping tones and genuine lyricism.
I’d be totally shocked if none of these guys were Iron & Wine fans, as their sound is no less than reminiscent of the beloved group. On a different note, I’d go as far as to say they took a few harmonic tips from grungier bands like Brand New.
After making my way to their EP, Forests & Flames, which debuted this year, I find that their song “Running” easily transports me straight into the woods. Which, I think, they were definitely going for when they sought out to record this track.
It’s no secret our darkest moments hold the ability to flicker sparks of inspiration; those very sparks are at the heart of this track.
The group cracks open their lyricism in a way that welcomes the audience into a soundscape of echoey, pillowy resonance with a very authentic and conflicting story to tell.
“Running” exposes the purity of not just wanting to run, but feeling like you have no choice except to run. I find keeping the listener company through these moments, is a true and honored responsibility music holds for the listener. It’s wonderful to see a group holding up that space for their audience and encouraging them to feel with their music as a backbone.
The pulsing and calming guitar picking layers a level of anxiety and warm comfort to the song. As a listener, I find myself having to keep up and run after whatever it is I’m also searching for. I think of the sun peeking through trees when I hear this track and I feel hopeful for whoever it is has entered the woods.
“I’ve been running so long I can’t remember where I started. So much seems
familiar yet I don’t know where I am.”
The feeling of wanting to escape is both exhilarating and devastating. Quiet Brother continues to connect to an audience beyond the music world and dives into poetry, almost unapologetically. It’s something worth noting and something worth appreciating.
If this is how the talented group of pals translated the supposed, simple feeling of needing to run, I’m truly excited to see what they want to talk about next.
