Jim Ward – Quiet

Quiet proves, quite easily, how sometimes the best releases are those that are created without any plans or ideas but are instead organic and spontaneous. Bred out of a need for solitude and silence, Quiet is a five song collection by Jim Ward (the less outspoken co-founder of At The Drive-In and founding member of Sparta). After being surrounded by noise and chaos for some time on tour, Ward simply echoed the need portrayed by many musicians and locked himself away in his house to sit and play acoustic guitar quietly. There was no plans or ulterior motives other than a little moment of escapism. The songs, however, burned for more and so Ward, along with some friends, decided to record the songs and release them on his own label, Civil Defense League; and that is how we find ourselves with a soothing, five song acoustic effort.

The sixteen minute EP opens up with a few power chords being strummed heavily before fading into a calmer output that is On My Way Back Home Again. While the guitar may be the leading force in the song, the listener can’t help but pick out the piano melodies placed delicately in the background or the addition of the harmonica after the first chorus. Then there’s the back up vocals from The Secret Life Of Sparrows‘ Ray Wallace which adds yet another layer to the already soulful song. The reflective ballad immediately sets the tone for the record and it never waivers from then on.

Ward follows it up with a sparser song in Take It Back, which is built on both his and Maura Davis (Denali and Ambulette)’s vocal combinations. Once again, the use of the dual vocal combination adds another layer which instantly enriches the song. Mystery Talks is the first song that sees Ward completely by himself and he uses that time to focus on a more intricate guitar riff compared to the opening two songs. The listener is initially thrown off a little with Coastline, a more energized and higher pitched song than what Quiet is otherwise comprised off but it soon grows to be one of the highlights of the EP; particularly when compared to the somewhat monotonous closer track,Easier Said Than Done, which unfortunately ends the EP on a relatively sour note.

There may be very few At The Drive-In influences on Quiet and there’s not even very many Sparta resemblances either, but there is a certain reflective quality wound throughout Quiet that captures the listener’s imagination. Not the most exciting listen, nor the most memorable; but it is quite enjoyable in it’s simplistic and honest nature.