Melodious Haze - Golden Doubt, Quivers

Quivers
Golden Doubt
2021
7/10

No one likes an album review that simply references every single band from a genre or region and outlines the reasons why the reviewer feels compelled to make comparisons. But what happens when, with every listen, you find yourself compelled by the overarching sense that there is a similarity in many ways between two bands? Well yes, sometimes you gotta run with it!

Ex Hobart, now Melbourne based foursome Quivers have many comparisons to the great band from Brisbane, The Go-Betweens. Boomers reading this will know who I am talking about, but the millennials might need a prompt reminding them; lets start with the main access bridge in Brisbane is named after these Aussie indie-pop legends, as well as one of our favourite stages at Splendour, The GW McLennan stage from one of the founding members from Grant McLennan.

So, now you’ve read through the rambling history lesson, lets talk about Golden Doubt. Lets talk harmonies, lets talk jangly guitar, lets talk catchy lyrics and lets talk textbook indie melancholy! Yep, this has all the key ingredients for the making of a great record.

Opener Gutters of Love hits with its floral appeal and bright bubbly hooks. Can someone explain to me if this is a happy or sad song? I’m yet to work that one out and perhaps I’ll never know. Chinese Medicine is clearly an absolute peak point in the harmonious bell curve but it’s the piano arrangements that really join the dots on what is another brilliant highlight.

It’s definitely at this point I start questioning how on earth it has taken me so long to come across this great Australian export – its not like we’ve had a shortage of time on our hands over the past 18 months!

Alas, as the strings continue and the guitar hooks stretch out more than your worn our Pilates bands, things keep blossoming away; ‘Laughing Matters’ delivers a candidate for lyric of the year when front man Sam laconically tells us “…there is too much Phil Collins in the air tonight.”

Go out there and get this great album on your favourite music playing means and don’t forget to check out The Go Betweens whilst your at it

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Review written by Luke Foster.