Album Review: Spurv – Myra (Fysisk Format)

Three years after the release of their debut full-length album ‘Skarntyde’, Norwegian post-rock collective Spurv return with their second studio offering called ‘Myra’. Out on June 1st 2018 via Fysisk Format.

“The album was written in the years that have passed since Skarntyde and recorded in the first weeks of 2017.” Says Spurv about this new effort.

“With Skarntyde, we felt that we had come as far as we could, almost on our own, and with Myra we have taken a huge step, if not forward, then deeper, towards what we want Spurv to be. Especially Ole-Henrik Moe and Kari Rønnekleiv have come with invaluable contributions that fill out and bind together the album, while Tore Ylvisaker and Ole Aleksander Halstensgård from Ulver have filled in details that draw out harmonies that we did not know were to be found in our own music.”

In the time of post-metal/post-rock you have to be more then just good to get the attention of the wider alternative community. Being just good isn’t going to cut it unfortunately as the sub-genre has become a little saturated as of late.

Initially it seems as though Spurv are going to struggle to really make any decent ground. Og Ny Skog Bæres Frem has mournful melodies but it fails to take off. An unfortunate flat start that is corrected by the imaginative and more unique sounding Fra Dypet Under Stenen. The instrumental efforts have plenty more bite with one particular twist being ‘mouth open wide’ levels of quality. On the strength of this track alone, Spurv can proudly hold their heads high.

They’re just getting started though, at least once they get the pointless Hviler Bekkenes Sang out of the way. Once again Spurv follow a disappointing track with one of quality as Et Blekt Lys Lyder use of symphonic elements blends well with the tippy-tappy guitar tune.

Spurv finally break the bad/good curse with Fra Myrtempelet’s fuzziness and touching melody being quite effective before the penultimate track, Den Gamles Stemme Brister proves just how much of an ear the band has for smart and sorrowful tunes while still delivering impactful punches of hard rock.

Having already proven they can do epic, Spurv go for it one more time with Allting Får Sin Ende, Også Natten. The final effort of a band with many highs and the odd lows throughout Myra, it takes a couple of minutes to really get going but when it does, it’s the heaviest track on the album by some distance. The roar of the guitars and the raging of drums is exceptional stuff and the momentum is kept up right until the final inspiring moments.

Spurv – Myra Full Track Listing:

1. Et Løfte I Fall
2. Og Ny Skog Bæres Frem
3. Fra Dypet Under Stenen
4. Hviler Bekkenes Sang
5. Et Blekt Lys Lyder
6. Fra Myrtempelet
7. Den Gamles Stemme Brister
8. Allting Får Sin Ende, Også Natten

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You can order the album now over on Bandcamp and via Amazon above. Find out more/keep up to date with news by liking Spurv’s Facebook Page and subscribing to their YouTube Channel.