Spurv – "Brevjære"
An Album you should listen to again and again
"Brevjære" is the title of Norway's post-rock titans Spurv's new album. The record starts with a bang, and the sextet reaches new, boundless heights with "Brevjære". One thing is for sure: You should listen to this record all over again! Here is my review and recommendation for you!
"Brevjære" translates as "breadcrumbs". The band has scattered these throughout the whole album. Their eight new songs tell a story that takes us to unknown places.
The first song "Krokete, rettkafen" starts off orchestrally. The curtain rises, and the play begins. The choral singing in the background provides mystical accents.
"En brennende vogn over jordet"
"En brennende vogn over jordet" ("A burning wagon over the field") starts rhythmically to proceed with guitars that form the transition to the next act. A post-rock gem of a special kind begins to sprout. The song's melodic middle section lets tension rise, a symphony of chimes and strings combined with heavy guitar walls and apocalyptic sound elements—opposites that contrast magnificently and couldn't complement each other more gracefully.
"Som syker" starts pensively, then breaks up into spherical expanses. An enchanted-seeming unity of rhythm, melody, and sound makes listeners dream of a time when people move as one—without fighting each other.
"Is it a dream?"
"Under himmelhelvingen" ("Under the sky) provides an exciting interlude. Dream sequence-like singing opens the door to the next section of the story: the fifth track on "Brevjære" with the sonorous title "Til en ny vår" ("To a new spring").
Listening to it, I see the ice melting in my mind's eye. The mountainsides are gradually freeing themselves from their cold layer and making room for new life. Flowers stretch their blossoms for the first rays of sunshine, the roots still protected by the remnants of the snow, which retreats further and further.
A beautful finale
"Å vente er å Endre" is my favourite on "Brevjære". Chaos and harmony alternate here. The song tells of the change that waiting brings. What a beautiful reflection! It is so true, holding hope and uncertainty simultaneously. Leaving listeners with the question of what will happen next, the song sends us off into "Urdråpene" ("Original Drop"). In the great hymn before the finale, "Din pust fra stein" ("Your stony breath"), the walls of guitars make another appearance before the album heads towards the final chord with choral singing. It immediately awakens my desire to listen to "Brevjære" again—which I would definitely recommend to you, too: Every spin of this record on your player brings new, beautiful details and sonic subtleties to light.
The curtain falls.
Spurv released "Brevjære" on Pelagic Records on 22 September. The band's fans love their bombastic recordings and concerts—both perfectly composed and coordinated. Those who love post-rock will definitely be thrilled by their fourth album, "Brevjære". For me, the LP is already one of the best of this year. If you don't know the band yet and love projects like Mono Japan, Sigur Rós and This Will Destroy You, you shouldn't miss their discography! Pelagic Records says:
"An oratorio for a desperate world, Spurv redefines the boundaries of symphonic rock and post-rock, finding beauty and solace in the intersection of time, nature, history and humanity."
I don't think there's a better way to put Spurv's "Brevjære" into words.