The Declining Winter - Goodbye Minnesota (Rusted Rail Records)

Much like the season, The Declining Winter's first release is stripped bare, cold, and desolate. Yet, it also is the perfect escape on nights of bitter coldness, where a panacea is found through warm glowing memories and mulled wine.

Each song aches and stirs with melancholy, an inspiriting sadness through acoustic means and measures.

"We Used to Read Books": apart from the great title, this song is a post summer folk-tronica dub enthused acoustic classic. Reverb drenched drums, acoustic guitar loops, intertwined with looped sparse vocals. The Declining Winter's founder, Richard Vincent Adams, is also a member of Hood. There is no surprise then that, many songs on the album have the same rustic electronic charm as Hood's last outputs and this is more than a good thing.

"Oh God Come On," features Adams on introspective vocal form, with glitch drum patterns weaving threads of sadness against watery bass lines. "Take the easy way out," has Adams either asking or daring someone to face the consequences of their actions. More beautiful acoustic guitars and synth musings appear and slide this song in the right mindful direction. An ode to feeling directionless and oh my, it's great to feel lost. To make matters even better, there are wonderful backing vocals from Nicola Hodgkinson (Empress) which wonderfully highlight this expansive sound.

Despite being fairly acoustic and electronic based, TDC come up with an ambient classical masterpiece in "Last Train to Maple Grove." Minimalist bass and reflective violins play an ode to winter that is heart-warming and heart wrenching, like Town And Country Vs Stars Of The Lid.

I actually like each song on this release. Every tune has its own unique twee charm. On repeated listening the album grows more and the true depth is heard and cherished
in my eyes (or is that ears?), this is one of the releases of the year.
A frosty musical journey that conjures up wondrous thermal images. Using sounds that are rustically pastoral in nature and form, Richard Vincent Adams has concocted the perfect "winter warmer." We should raise a toast with this concoction and say, "Goodbye Minnesota…"

9/10

Richard Vincent Adams Interview



How did you choose the name The Declining Winter, was it something to do
with global warming?
"Yes it does. It just came to me one night  - as usual I was twittering
on about the lack of snow during the winter months and the whole thing
came into place. I'd been on holiday to Minnesota, which had always been
really snowy the other times i'd been, but this time it was more like a
British climate. It was terribly depressing. I also like the word
'decline' - it looks good written down."

What made you decide to release a solo album and now that you are
touring as a full band, will there be any more releases under the TDW
moniker?
"Well... Hood was (is) on sabbatical and me and Chris wanted to concentrate on
our own stuff. He'd got the Bracken thing together in about 5
seconds flat, so I was lagging miles behind. I just enjoyed recording
stuff for my own enjoyment really. After a while I had quite a  bit of
stuff and was confident enough to put a single out.  After a bit of
faffing and fiddling around, I had enough stuff for an album. I was a bit
more nerve wracked about that but, because it was stuff I enjoyed doing
and enjoy listening to, I was just happy to see it released.  We have
been touring, which is not really my 'thing' but  i've quite enjoyed it. 
I just don't want to see it become more important than the creation and
recording of music, which is what i really do. I'm hoping to get a new
single out early next year and will definitely record at least one more
album under this moniker."

What is your favourite season, and why?
"Contrary to the season mentioned in the band name, it is autumn. This time
of year (as i write) september into october  - i love the colours and
the cool air. For some reason, I seem to be at my best in autumn  - full
of vitality  - it happens each year. I'm convinced that I look better in
autumn, too. The type of light at this time of the year obviously suits
my features."

What are your influences outside of music?
"The weather mainly. Trees, rustic looking buildings, that type of
thing. Frustrations with every day life, anger."

The song title Yorkcitythree is obviously influenced by your love of
the football team York City. Can you tell us more about the title and
your interest in football?
"Yeah, I don't know why I bother with them, I really don't. But they kind
of suit my way of life, as i like things a bit out of the ordinary,
eccentric, always in turmoil. They mean well but get it hopelessly wrong
all the time. The song was kind of a soundtrack to the 2006/07 team
which pushed towards the playoffs, but of course failed. I was thinking
about the whole experience of going to non league football. First of all,
York is beautiful and it's always lovely to see it, then the ritual of
meeting with your friends, the anticipation etc. A bit of nostalgia
about what it must have been like to watch football back in the days of
the harsh winters  - getting wrapped up then coming home to the glow of
a fire  - all romanticised, but sometimes its best that way. It's a
hopeful song, as its about a particularly good couple of months where i
re-discovered my love of the beautiful game. The title is regarding the
excitement of looking at the score and generally if they scored three,
they'd won (though of course since they have scored three and not won!)"

Your original band, Hood seem to be on somewhat of a hiatus, with
members also releasing solo material. Is “Hood Finished” or are there
more plans in the Hood camp?
"It's a strange one. Kind of like something that's around us all the
time but as the years go by it fades a little further into the
background. There's always talk of doing stuff but it would have to be
at the right time with everyone enthusiastic. We are all really
enjoying having the freedom to do what we want with music at the
moment. Hood is a little more difficult as it has a history and has
standards to maintain."

As this is your first solo release, how happy are you with the results
and what was the recording process like?
"Well, the aims were so low that I would have been happy with anything.
It's been a long process and it all kind of fell together at the last
minute. It goes without saying that it has by far exceeded my
expectations. I have no dreams of stardom and try to steer clear of scenes
and reading press, (except Crumbs in the Butter, of course!) so i'm happy
just wandering along. I've been really pleased that we've managed to get
some interest in the music without resorting to the usual music industry
stuff."

What current music is influencing right now?
"Sun Kil Moon, The Bibio mix on the Epic45  12", Northerner, the new
Rivulets album, and the new Beck single that just came out."

Anything else you would like to add?
"Have a look at our Myspace and website where you can hear some 
tracks and if you want, you can buy a cd!"

Thanks.

Nicky.

The Declining Winter Myspace