Whiteout

Publisher: Rune Grammofon

Developer: In the Country

21 July 2009

By Ron Hart

cover art

Norway might be known primarily for Vikings and black metal. However, if one tunes out the din of battle axes and down-tuned guitar chaos, he or she might discover the intelligent delicacy of the country’s greatest musical export, jazz pianist Morton Qvenlid. For Whiteout, his third album with his trio In the Country, which also includes drummer Pål Hausken and bassist Roger Arntzen, Qvenlid’s intimate Hymns-era Keith Jarrett-cum-Thom Yorke style of lyricism is met with the uncanny production techniques of Jaga Jazzist mastermind Andreas Mjøs, whose unique flair for creative atmospherics has delivered some of the most quixotic sounds in the Ninja Tune catalog. On the stunning Whiteout, Mjøs, armed with an arsenal of instruments ranging from a Marimba to a Macintosh, provides a means by which to keep In the Country on its collective toes while maintaining the trio’s initial air of spacey romanticism. Yet for everything going on across these seven compositions, this is a quiet album meant to be turned way up to catch every subtle nuance this fine, fine ensemble throws your way.

— 22 September 2009
 
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Comments

Hi. Thanks for reviewing In the Country and for noticeing us. I just wanted to inform that the Myspace link posted in the review didnīt work, so here is the right one: http://www.myspace.com/inthecountrytrio (itīs actually the same adress as posted, but without the / ).

All the best,
Roger/In the Country

Comment by Roger Arntzen from Norway — September 23, 2009 @ 10:23 am

Thanks for the note, Roger.  We got that corrected.

Comment by Patrick Schabe — September 23, 2009 @ 11:32 am

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