It’s interesting the passage of time and how quickly things can change. Back in 2017, Old Solar was Travis Brooks, a solo project whose sound could be described as atmospheric ambient with minimalistic sensibilities. In 2019, the band evolved with the addition of Evan King and William Baker which gave birth to their 2019 album titled, SEE.
On this album, the band’s sound had evolved into a blistering progressive post-rock that nothing short of mesmerizing. That’s the major reason for the existence of this EP.
Quiet Prayers was originally released in 2017 but with time comes growth. This redux version is a homage to both the past and the present; bringing together elements of the old while embracing the new.
‘Help Us To Be Faithful’ starts off in a very similar fashion to its original interpretation, the difference being in the subtle yet obvious new layers of instrumentation. It begins with soft piano and guitar licks and gradually builds with steady throbbing drums.
‘When I Rise & When I Lay Down’ follows in the ways of its predecessor. There is a stark difference in the production quality between this and the original and this is only augmented by the underlying bass and the bright pianos. The texture of the song is very different from the original as this version captures a primal weight of longing that is absent in the 2017 version.
‘Thank You For This Day’ is a favourite of mine. The guitars are the stars of the show with licks and strums that complement one another beautifully and seamlessly. The icing on the cake is the introduction of the drums which totally transforms the song and brings it to a satisfying conclusion.
‘Guard Our Minds As We Sleep’ takes on a droning and haunting reimagination that is far more unsettling than the original. I like it and it really works for the song.
‘Your Goodness & Mercy’ is an ambient/post-rock interpretation of the popular hymn, What A Friend We Have In Jesus. It’s slightly heavier than the original but it still carries the same feel.
‘Be Still, and Know That I AM’ is the song that went through the most surgery on this EP. The original song which was simply titled ‘Be Still’ was a little less than three minutes in length. This version is a little over seven minutes and for good reason.
The band harnesses the full strength of their capabilities to create something that is akin to their work on SEE. It’s punchy and emotionally stirring with beautiful riffs and chiming bells rising steadily to a satisfying climax before cooling down into a soothing outro. Hands down, this is the best song on this EP.
This review is not meant to diminish the achievements of the original release of this EP. On the contrary, it is a celebration of growth, maturity and a willingness to find new approaches to old material while still maintaining the spirit of the old.
Old Solar has done something profound here and it fills me with confidence for the future of post-rock that is inspired by Christian themes.
Tags: Post-Rock, Ambient
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That’s it for today.
Until next time.
Keep listening!
I affirm that this is a goooooood album.😭