Spring Service, the acoustic bedroom folk project of Tom Dennis, is music for the quiet observer. The Sun Kil Moon-esque instrumentals and story-like lyricism wring you out in an emotional but overwhelmingly appeasing way.
All four tunes on Dennis’ debut EP Concrete Prayer carry a really beautiful earthy quality to them, but also incite an astral feel when it comes to the overall production. My favorite tune, “Polylonliness,” makes use of a twinkling, dizzying electric guitar part while Dennis describes striking terrestrial images of Capulin Mountain, volcanic bone and ribbons of smoke. Something about the melody reminds me so much of Band of Horses with its soaring progression and impassioned vulnerability.
Concrete Prayer is more than just a union of earth and cosmos. It is also a union of East and West, a collaboration that bridges great distance. Dennis is a former resident of the Queen City and a former buffaBLOG writer who is now transplanted in the far away state of California. Damian, a heavyweight in the local music community, mixed the EP and the cover photograph was taken by Nick Torsell, a talented local photog and yet another former blog contributor. The final product is a small, stunning collection of songs and a wonderful listen. Check out the EP below.