Band: The Declining Winter
Album title: Goodbye Minnesota
Label: Rusted Rail
Distributor: PHD
Release date: 05/05/2009
Release: CD

Goodbye Minnesota is the debut full-length of The Declining Winter (solo project of one Richard Vincent Adams, also active with the Leeds, UK, based Hood…a band active for 10 years now, which moved from Pastoral Rock to include an increase of electronics in more recent days), and follows the release of an acclaimed 7-inch on Misplaced Music and a sold-out remix CD The Declining Remixes, issued through Moteer.

The music is best described as Experimental Folk Pop. As mentioned in the bio sheet that accompanied our cd-R copy of the album (which apparently comes in a nice recycled cardboard sleeve), it ranges “…from epic claustrophobia to rustic Folk-Dub explorations, with special atmospheres anchored to pastoral roots…,” and delivers, “…hypnotic melancholia via abstract HipHop, Shoegaze, Dub and Post Rock explorations…Along the way there’s also rain-drenched Pop and globally warmed Electronic Folk.”

There’s definitely a movie soundtrack flair in most of the tracks, a feeling enhanced by three very beautiful instrumentals (“To Know Gospel”, “Yorkcitythree”, and “Last Train To Maple Grove”). The opening tracks on the album (“Summer Turns To Hurt”, “We Used To Read Books”, and “I Don’t Really Want To Be Alone”) also show a schizophrenic touch with layered vocals, occasionally brought with a stereo surround effect (you know, you can hear the voice going from one side of the room to the other, then back again, etc). Richard’s main aid on the album were his brother Chris (band member in Hood, and also active with Bracken; taking care of electronics) and Chris Cole (of Many Fingers and Matt Elliott; I failed to find out what he might’ve been responsible for). Except for the electronics, the music is remarkably acoustic for the most part, and has an overall calmness about it which is soothing rather than disturbing. The vocals are mellow overall, and do not contribute to the melodies of the songs. A wonderfully beautiful album, which brings about an air of Autumn…and in many instances will please the more experienced music fan because of the occasional underlaying complexity of things.

No MySpace page, apparently, but you can listen to album opening track “Summer Turns To Hurt”, and two tracks off the remix album (plus 4 songs which were recorded without any intent of release) in the “Listen” section at thedecliningwinter.com! As far as I’m concerned, this deserves an entry in my nomination list for “Best Albums Of 2009”!

98/100

Tony.