There’s something in a band name, right?  You can tell right away, sometimes, whether or not the band will jive with you.  Haunt the Woods grabbed me instantly, though I’ll admit that they don’t sound anything like I expected.  Their new album Ubiquity is releasing today, September 29^th, and I think it is worth your time and money.

Haunt the Woods comes to us from Cornwall, England.  The band consists of Phoenix Elleschild on guitar, Jonathan Stafford on vocals and rhythm guitar, Jacke Hale on bass, and Oliver Bignell on drums.  They recently signed to Spinefarm Records.

I’m not sure I’ve disagreed with the promo description of a band as deeply as I do right here in a long time.  It promised music for fans of Radiohead and Crown Lands, even throwing in The Beatles, Queen, and Muse.  But, to be honest, I hear very little of any of that.  This band has a sound all their own, an indie-sprinkled, folk-birthed alternative rock that definitely appreciates the classic bands, but I think they are more focused on their own emotions and depth than anything else.  I will say that I hear Pink Floyd in their sound, but not the popular records; think Ummagumma and Atom Heart Mother instead.

Ubiquity is a quiet album, but one with burgeoning fire within its walls.  The mix is quiet and well-produced, so you may want to crank up the volume more than usual, but this reservation is filled with rich subtleties, deft accents, beautiful strings, and especially with emotion.  Yes, this is quite the emotional work, and this is further enhanced by the loud-quiet dynamic which makes the explosive and climactic portions stand out more.  The band’s strength lies in this golden aura and in their fleeting sense of whimsy, and also in overflowing moments of passion that are irresistible.

I should note that much of this is due to Jonathan’s fantastic vocal performance.  His voice is filled with character, and I love his musing moments where he leans into the grit in his style.  But I also love the moments where he hits his upper range, and these are the passages that are emotional and undeniably so.  There is something about his specific timbre that elicits tears and waves of electricity up my spine, and he only does it maybe 4-5 times on the record, but the build up and the payoff are superb.

All twelve songs are great.  The singles are a good representation of the album, I think.  “Fever Dream” is the opener, and I’ll admit that it is my least favorite on the album, though I do like the larger-than-life central rhythm and even the sense of chaos it has at times.  “Gold” is different for me, though, because it will certainly be one of my favorite songs of the year; this gem has such personality in its slow-burning first half—I love how the vocals jump here and there with precision.  The song soars near the end with massive stringed accompaniment and emotional waves of vocals and guitars.  What a song!  I can’t get enough of it.

The other two singles are “The Line, Part II” and “Said and Done”.  Both are terrific.  The former is another favorite with its piano and violin, and especially for its fantastic guitar solo that simply hits all the right notes, and then leads into one of Jonathan’s best vocal moments on the record.  The band knows how to craft thrilling moments, and I like how they often group them one after another to where your heart leaps into your throat.  “Said and Done” is the closer, and is a conversational slowburn that I really like; it has a well of depth, and its ending with brass and strings highlights instead of overshadows the river of subtle emotion within the song.

I have some other favorites.  “Save Me” is one of the rawest songs on the album; I love how the acoustic first couple minutes hide how emotional and dense the song will become.  I love it.  “Home” is another, this one really reminding me of an Atom Heart Mother track with its whimsy and gravy and nostalgia; the song doesn’t try to hit any ridiculous peaks or anything, it simply floats along with sheer humanity and memory, and I love Jonathan’s vocals on it.  The last song I’ll highlight is “Overflow”, probably tied with “Gold” as my favorite.  This song is well-titled; there is something in its echoing atmosphere that draws me to it, and it is one of the most emotional songs on the record even though the tempo and heaviness are pretty reserved.  It’s the courage and authenticity in the vocals and punchy drumming that really sell this song, and I love it.

Haunt the Woods has a great album on their hands.  It has all the feeling and quiet power that one could want, and its ferocity of character burns clearly for me.  I’m excited to see what this band makes in the future.  Their potential is limitless.

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