Album Review

The Douglas Firs – The Furious Sound

• 4th Dec 2012

The Furious Sound is the second album from Edinburgh based indie-folk band The Douglas Firs, following on from their 2011 debut Happy as a Windless Flag. Perhaps best described as an interesting, if darkly psychedelic, collection of songs that have a droning and murky feel, this is not really the most accessible of albums.

I say Edinburgh based indie-folk band to avoid confusion, for there are several other bands on the go with the same name: The Douglas Firs, an acoustic duo from the south of England, Douglas Firs, a rock band from Belgium and Douglas Firs, an alternative folk band from Sweden are all out there too.

So … we are talking here about the Scottish band called The Douglas Firs. The Furious Sound is loosely based around the East Lothian witch trials of 1590, when seventy people, mainly women, were tortured, tried and burned for their supposed involvement in witchcraft. You won’t be surprised then to find that the music is largely downbeat and depressing in tone.

The thirteen tracks were recorded in a variety of locations relating to the trials, churches and outdoor spots, presumably to add to the album’s authenticity. The pace is slow throughout and music features layer upon layer of atmospheric instrumentation with the vocals coming across as rather limited in range. But there is also some lovely rhythmic drumming in several tracks and the odd sparks of guitar and bass to add colour to what is a fairly black sonic landscape.

This is perhaps an album to study rather than one to sit back and enjoy. The imagery is great at times, and the almost chanted lyrics evoke pictures of fierce and humourless men doing their religious duty by hunting supposed practitioners of the dark arts. Strange things can be easily imagined happening around gatherings in churchyards at midnight and portentous events are never far away.

To be honest though, the overall musical effect of the album is a little one paced and dirge-like. Many of the tracks are very similar, with little of note happening at all. There are occasional high spots, the interesting instrumental Black Forest, the standout track Backroads with its fine female harmony vocals and the downright spooky closing track Monument. But it’s not one I will be returning to very often.

Venue: The Furious Sound
Support Band: Armellodie Records