Kerkville – Days

Kerkville – Days (Triple Bath)

A lot of independent music rests on the fact that it’s independent.  A cassette release, or an album put out by a respected indie label, means a lot to some people.  However, some small scale releases transcend that.  There are albums out there which deserve to be heard by thousands of people; albums which rely not on image or credibility, but on musical quality.  Days, the debut album by Mihalis Moshoutis under the Kerkville alias, is such an album.

Days could easily be acclaimed simply on the fact it is made entirely using guitars (other than a brief piano performance hidden within track 7, ‘Next to Me’).  However, this is merely something to consider futher when contemplating the quality of the music contained within the album.  Moshoutis is a composer of great talent, expressing drama, quaintness, sadness and joy through his use of guitar.  Sometimes, it is very straightforward and stripped back, such as ‘On the Lake’s minimal classical stylings, while sometimes it pushes towards the experimental, such as the ambient-esque processing involved in ‘Rise of Ys’, a particular highlight of the album.  Closer ‘Days’ is an uplifting end to the record, which fits nicely after a previous series of more downbeat pieces.  ‘Keeping It’ is a high paced piece based on acoustic arpeggios, while ‘Vault’ is a more dramatic number, more in line with post rock than ambient or classical guitar music. 

What is astonishing is that all ten tracks on Days are high quality: not a second is wasted.  Some of the most outstandingly beautiful instrumental music I have ever heard is contained on this disc, and no greater complement can be given to a record.