With musical culture constantly striving and changing in its own nature, Quarters of Change continues to make groovy, synthesizing, dance-alone-in-your-bedroom music on the quiet side of it all. This album further demonstrates why I am a particularly a huge fan of this band: they have created memorable riffs that will stick in your mind for days on end. Out of the New York rock scene, Ben Acker (guitar, bass, synths), Attila Anrather (drums), Jasper Harris (guitars, bass, synths), and Ben Roter (vocals, guitar), are slowly making their way towards the top with the band’s new album Portraits.
Going into listening to this, I believed that the band would continue to execute the same pop-like, eighties-style music (spoiler alert: I was so desperately wrong, in the best way possible). The album has a different mood from what QOC often releases, starting with the single “What I Wanted.” “What I Wanted” has rough scratchy guitar riffs, scream-in-your-car choruses, and catchy verses that will keep you hooked; it sounds a lot like a rock song from the early 2000s. The lyrics of the album touch upon love, depression, and the common problem of longing for another person.
An ultimate favorite for me off the album is the track “Cherry Tree.” The song delves deeper into the realization of a relationship going south and not knowing when to pull the trigger, all while featuring lively and enjoyable guitar speeds and wild vocals. Ultimately, the singer must accept his fate, but he is aware that he won’t go down without a fight. A lengthy, back-and-forth, stringy guitar solo plays for the whole last thirty seconds of “Cherry Tree”; I have yet to hear anything like this in any other song I’ve listened to before.
“Hollywood Baby” is a close second, with highly anticipated instrumentals and a memorable chorus. The song talks about growing up and embracing it, as well as realizing that it’s acceptable to do so with a hint of regret. The song’s refrain, “It’s the wrong time to be alive, you’re screaming alone in your room,” can be heard clearly over and over again. The album’s finale is slower than the rest of it, but the overall tone is maintained throughout. “Keep My Blood” begins with a quiet guitar melody, understated drumming, and gentle vocals that draw you in and convey the same intensity and emotions as the previous tunes. A serene and surreal interlude concludes the song, giving the impression that you are rising from your bed and into the sky.
Despite selling out their first-ever US headline tour, Quarters of Change never cease to astound me with the music they create with just their fingers. This band is distinct from all other ensembles of musicians; their sound is staggeringly different, raw, and this is undoubtedly just the beginning for them.
