THE BURNT PINES : THE BURNT PINES

THE BURNT PINES : THE BURNT PINES

Diamonds
Heavy and Young
Song for Rose
On the Burning
Only in the Soul
Mother On The Mountain
Oh Me, Oh My
From Seville To Manhattan
Outside of Us
Waiting for You
Make the Sign
April Child

Label : Adreala Records

Release Date : 2021

Length : 44:40

Review (Americana Highways) : The initial track of this strong debut opens with delicately-picked acoustic guitar, adding soft harmonies for an effect not unlike that of gently falling snow. Mix in rudimentary percussion, piano, melodica and the distinctive lead vocals of Danish-born Kris Skovmand. Together, the band gradually swells "Diamonds" - a key track to understanding their sound - into a full-scale, hummable, best foot forward. The comparably up-tempo "Heavy and Young" strums a little harder, introducing banjo and snare drum as Skovmand's voice becomes a fast friend, while added layers of vocals build a bullet-proof chorus which helps propel this song into a percussive, hand-clapping force of nature. "Song For Rose" is simply voice and guitar, again adding percussion, electric guitar, supplemental vocals and a rhythmic, electronic device that lends a slightly otherworldly sound. Rose must be pleased. Creating a time-warp of sound, falling somewhere between Simon & Garfunkel's choirboy harmonies and Darlingside's multi-level aural ballet, Skovmand's vocal tracking on "On The Burning Bridge" blends beautifully with piano, double-drive acoustic guitars and Luis Barros' tight snare work. If Skovmand's distinctive vocals are key to the band's sound, no less so than the guitar contributions of Aaron Flanders. "Only In The Soul" proves a case-in-point, while Miguel Sá Pessoa's spare piano contributes powerfully - each spare note begging more. "Mother On The Mountain" gets off to a rocky start with its uncanny resemblance to "The Little Drummer Boy" - which it just can't shake, while "Oh Me, Oh My" adds zest to the band's repertoire, a full-instrument composition with actual gusto, an infectious chorus and hooks aplenty. "From Seville To Manhattan" features Flanders' guitar as Skovmand's voice floats, dream-like, over the melody, adding subtle flourishes as Fernando Huego's 5-string bass, Sá Pessoa's melodica and the gentle application of banjo builds a foundation beneath him. "Outside Of Us" begins slowly, adding depth as bass (featuring double bassist, Dan Fox), piano and percussion work to elevate Skovmand's whisper-soft vocal into one of the disc's finest tracks. Likewise, "Waiting For You" picks up the pace and steams ahead, fueled by the band's happy-go-lucky approach to the outside world, as percussion, chorus, banjo and piano fires on all cylinders. If you're looking for something to listen to first, start with "Make The Sign." The best representation of their overall sound, if not their collective personality, it's the chorus that sticks like glue, as gentle guitar and otherworldly cymbal washes cast their spell. Closing with "April Child," Flanders' acoustic guitar meets Barros' light percussive touch as Skovmand's hypnotic vocals soothe, the song's chorus lifting each lyric skyward. Hard to believe that this seemingly disparate collection of talents came together from different parts of the world - Spain, Denmark, Portugal and the U.S. - spawned before the weighty restrictions of our, now, pandemic times. Each players' parts, transmitted to a studio based in Lisbon, would form the nexus of each composition, finished and expertly massaged into place by Skovmand and Sá Pessoa. With backgrounds in folk-pop, jazz and classical music, the result is a delicately-textured pastiche of wistful lyrics wrapped in a gentle, musical accompaniment which borders on the ethereal. Reassuring to realize that, in such dark and frustrating times, such a hopeful bright light can be birthed from the very challenges of physical distance. The Burnt Pines is just what the doctor ordered.

Review (Michael Doherty's Music Log) : As we finally approach the end of this horrid and ugly year, many of us are looking for something bright on the horizon, something beautiful to guide us forward out of this dark place. And that's what the self-titled debut release by The Burnt Pines sounds like to me. This album features some really good vocal work, some uplifting original material with excellent lyrics. The music is folk, with some pop sensibilities. This project was put together in two countries, here in the U.S. (specifically Brookline, Massachusetts) and Portugal (specifically Lisbon). The band is made up of Kris Skovmand on vocals; Aaron Flanders on guitar, guitar-banjo and tambourine; and Miguel Sá Pessoa on piano, keyboards and melodica. Joining them on this album are Fernando Huergo on bass, Luis Barros on drums and percussion, and Dan Fox on double bass. The album begins with "Diamonds," which has a beautiful opening on guitar, with that humming adding to the sweet sound, setting me at ease. There is something gentle and friendly about this song's sound, something familiar. It is an unusual sort of love song, told from the perspective of a faithful companion. "Take me out after dark,/So the strays out on the street/Can watch the princess eat/And when she's satisfied I know/My fur is gold/And I'm ascending heaven." But the line that really stands out for me is "I don't mind getting old for you, babe." There is also some nice work on melodica. "Diamonds" is followed by "Heavy And Young," that acoustic guitar at the beginning pulling me in, establishing a good energy and sweet vibe. And the sound of the guitar-banjo works to raise my spirits. By the way, what is the official name of the guitar-banjo? I've heard it called a banjitar, a banjo-tar, a gitjo, a ganjo, banjo-guitar, a six-string banjo. Let's choose a name, shall we? Anyway, the excellent vocal work also makes this track a highlight for me. Check out these lines: "Old and weightless/Is what I'm trying to kill since you've been gone/I cast spells and talk to ghosts/Sit around and sing them all our songs/If I could see you maybe/You could show me how it all went wrong." In "Song For Rose," Kris Skovmand sings, "I confess/I haven't always been good to our love/I get crazy when I drink too much alcohol/I got dark thoughts down in my mind." Yet, even as he sings those lines, we get the feeling that things are going to be all right, that he's going to be able to successfully combat whatever negative feelings and thoughts might trouble him from time to time. It is a love song, after all, isn't it? And there is a serene beauty to it. That's followed by "On The Burning Bridge," which tells of a troubled relationship. Here is a taste of the lyrics: "I don't know exactly how I feel/But I can't chase you through this/Tell me of a future I can love/Or let's fall apart on the burning bridge/I need to talk while we can/I have become the invisible man/I wish I was a stranger/So we could start all over again." Then "Only In The Soul" has a pleasant vibe. This music is sometimes like a wonderful warm breeze that seems to have the power to carry us away from our worries, just what we need as we struggle through the end of this disastrous year and allow ourselves to have a bit of hope regarding the coming year. Check out these lines: "Northwestern skies/Speak easy, I'm right here with you/By your side/Drop your feathers and your dreams into great wide space." Miguel Sá Pessoa gives us some pretty work on piano, and I like what Dan Fox does on double bass. "Don't break me for sour bread/Don't work me until I'm dead/Just bury me instead/With the mother on the mountain." "Mother On The Mountain" has a delicious, positive energy about it, and is one of my favorites. It has a gentle power, a strength that becomes our own. That is followed by "Oh Me, Oh My," which has a 1960s feel in some of its elements, particularly the lead vocals. There is something exciting about this one, the way the lyrics come at us, the insistence of the rhythm. Plus, it is just really cool. Yes, it's another of my favorites. "I live long winters in my dreams/While the snow outside keeps me locked in/Safe and warm, so it seems/My heart is cold and frozen/I'll call for action, call for change." Then "From Seville To Manhattan" has a more laid-back vibe, the vocals at times reminding me of the style of Paul Simon. "You were married in a church under a waterfall/And I wonder, can you see in the Hollywood mist?/A million eyes were watching from the farms in Arkansas/To the suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge." "Outside Of Us" has an intimate vocal delivery, and percussion that has a warm feel. This song has beauty and charm, and once again, this group can certainly write effective lyrics, creating songs of depth and meaning, songs we connect to the more we pay attention. "This is one time/Where the master's on the floor/And I'm not riding on the world no more/It's outside of us." I also love the line, "And I walked right into your storm." That's followed by "Waiting For You," which opens with these lines: "The past don't hold no place of refuge/The future's out there on its own/I am soft-spoken in the deluge/I voyage into the unknown." The phrase "soft-spoken in the deluge" is wonderful. And those "do-do do-do" vocals have a strangely soothing effect. Then "Make The Sign" has more of a pop feel in the way some of the lines are delivered, such as "There's no end to the evil summer/Everyone's eyes on the girl outnumbered/Can't stop what you feel inside, let sparks fly true." The album then concludes with "April Child," a gorgeous song. "You're the lucky one/Even though you've changed/Everyone knows that a single smile/Is the closest we can get to escape."