Never heard of mr. Quinn before and his self-released cd did not raise my expectations too high. But in fact ‘Ridin’ the Stang’ is a very enjoyable short album. It contains 8 tracks which you can describe as a bit peculiar indie folk. It is build up from ongoing acoustic loops created by traditional acoustic instruments but also from electronic sources.
Scotsman Quinn has the ability to create earwurm melodies, which are simple and repeptive but very effective. A typical trademark are the half-spoken vocals of Daniel Patrick, which remind strongly of The Fall’s Mark E. Smith. I’m not completely sure what the lyrics deal with, but apparently they are narrative tales about the folklore and landscape of the East Lothian countryside.
Very striking is the pseudo-traditional ‘The Burryman’ which makes me think stylewise of the ‘Wicker Man’. It features monologue contributions by one Duncan Grahl, and clearly inspired by large doses of alcohol. Humour is certainly no uncommon element in Quinn’s creations. Favourite songs on this unconventional cd are the instrumental ‘Make Hay!’ with ambient and classical elements, and especially ‘Channelkirk and the surrounding area’, with a clear Mark E. Smith comparison and an addictive melody.