Marriages: casting the red sun in a grey fog of mist

The Red Sparowes have always been, strictly speaking, an instrumental rock act. It’s not that they had anything to say, as the song titles themselves read like abstract, evocative story fragments. So for those who’ve always been curious know what they’d sound like with the addition of vocals, it looks like the equally experimental-leaning act Marriages have finally answered that question. Comprised of three members of the aforementioned, this “side” project feels more like a shortly-timed departure with a keepsake to hold on to until the fateful reunion – there’s still an emphasis on employing a dark, echoing sound that’s just shrouded in mystery, but Marriages like to get to the point more quickly instead of embarking on interminable jams. In the track “Ten Tiny Fingers”, Emma Ruth Rundler’s soft-toned, slithering vocals project over a smokescreen of hazy, tremulous guitars and crisp, pounding drum work. The band still takes their time to envelop the listener with a warm and dreadful chill, but there’s always the sense that you’re close to reaching the light at the end of the tunnel. Marriages’ six track long debut release, entitled Kitsune, will finally be unveiled in its entirety on May 1st.