Two Whole Quails – Dropped in Records

 

Two Whole Quails – Dropped in Records

by Pete Clemons

Surrounded by tons of vinyl this was instrumental duo, Two Whole Quails, first live outing since 2019. They had been looking forward to it immensely. And Dropped in Records, at Fargo Village, was the unlikely setting for an hour or so of the kind of music that consisted of long, elaborate, wordless compositions that circled around a melody of sorts.

The keyboard duo that is Two Whole Quails threw up a series of sounds that mean everything or nothing depending upon the amount of imaginative work the listener is prepared to do in total search of enjoyment and appreciation.

Visual stimulation was provided by accompanying film that was flashed up onto a screen alongside the players. These consisted of film especially prepared for the compositions.

The opening suite was titled 'The Chancellor's Dinner'. It is a twenty odd minute piece against a backdrop created by Two Whole Quails but credited to a whole host of people from both the online and real worlds.

This was followed be a piece called 'Glad', which was made up from parts of an even longer track which the pair recorded during lock down.

The last one was titled 'Emily'. This was an extended version of music made for Emily Mann's' and inspired by 'COVID - 20: The Coventry Isolation Diaries 2020'. The diaries being a part of the very excellent the Coventry Sketchbook project.

Throughout the entire evening I was gripped by the way the music flew off into discursive variations on original themes.

The duo, Lee on keyboards and Chris on keys, guitar and bass explained very little to their audience during the entire course of the evening. Everything was down to those attending taking what they wanted out of the evening.

A sizeable turn out at the venue that also included the more 'dance' inspired, Field Lines Cartographer, took away with them a memorable experience.

Visit Bandcamp Two Whole Quails for more.