Quivers’ life-damaged but hopeful jangle pop has returned with a long-anticipated second album, Golden Doubt.
After these strange few years of cancelled Australian and overseas tours (including their return to the US where they were due to again play for KEXP in Seattle), time and trouble have only sharpened this band's approach that guitar pop can be group therapy, but still a very good time.
Out June 11th on Spunk Records (and Ba Da Bing in the USA/Bobo Integral everywhere else), this album is full of the driving rhythms and harmony driven pop that comes most naturally to Quivers. Musically it plays with the ghosts of 80s Australian guitar bands and the spirit of R.E.M. and Teenage Fanclub, but with a lyrical directness not many bands commit to.
The Melbourne quartet have followed up their debut We'll Go Riding on the Hearses with an album which embraces their four voices and the interplay between them. Golden Doubt is carried by the harmonizing vocals of members Holly Thomas and Bella Quinlan, and the occasional shout from lead guitarist Michael Panton. Three songs also feature a choir made up of voices we love; Angie McMahon, Feelds, Georgia Knight, Hannah Blackburn, Jo Syme (Big Scary), and Merpire. Another three feature strings by Matt Sheers (Orcha).
Elevated by the production of Matthew Redlich (Holy Holy, Husky, Ainslie Wills), the record explores what comes after grief, and how we throw ourselves back into love. As Nicholson explains, the album tries to bottle “the rush of feelings and fears when you give in to falling for someone." That there is the feeling of golden doubt.
Quivers are a band that are most alive in a venue, and have by now played across Australia with the likes of Cloud Control, Methyl Ethel, Angie McMahon and others, and festivals in Australia, New Zealand, the USA & Canada. They build it up to let it fall apart, and leave songs open to be changed up depending on interactions with each other or the room and its people. It's a wide open road and they can't wait to be back on it, celebrating this new album and playing with a whole stack of bands they love.
Tickets $15 plus BF available HERE | $20 on door
Doors 8pm