Over a murmuring crowd at the dimly lit High Noon Saloon last Wednesday, Kansas-based Americana band Quiet Corral arranged themselves on a stage that just barely fit the six performers and their equipment. The group was cozy but the crowd was as well, and the music that followed radiated a warmth that blanketed the room with a feeling of connectedness.
As a band these guys are young, having only been playing together for two years or so and touring for only half that time, but what they bring to the table is a maturity and depth that far exceeds this timeline. Quiet Corral performs with seamless coordination, as easily seen in their intricate vocal harmonies or their numerous and unexpected bridges and transitions. Their ability to control the flow of energy in their music was absolutely stunning, making it rise, fall, or pause at will. It can’t be easy to coordinate six musicians playing a variety of instruments which are picked up one song and exchanged for another in the next, but they surely don’t show it. At one point I tried to record each of the different instruments that each played from track to track, but I soon become overwhelmed; guitarists to drums, drummers to keyboards, keyboarders to guitars.
With such tight control and variation from track to track, there truly was not a dull moment. There is something so enticing about an artist that can keep the audience guessing, with so many songs breaking from traditional verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus structure and adopting the feel of a story with twists and turns that you can’t anticipate, leaving listeners hanging on each piece until the full tale is told. So many songs have a very personal and emotional quality about them, fostering a feeling of empathy between the crowd and performers. This quality shone through during the final chorus of “Lonely Company” when the instruments faded out and the bandmates came together in a chilling harmony. It was one of those extraordinary moments when a dead hush falls over the room and the artist grips the audience with a connection that breaks down all barriers.
I’ll say it again: as a band, these guys are young, but you would never guess as much. With the quality and precision that they have already developed in their short time together, it’s difficult to imagine what comes next for Quiet Corral, but I can only imagine that it will be stunning. Next time they come through town, see for yourself; I for one won’t miss it.