GTC DEEP CUT: ASK CAROL Darkest Hour
Ask Carol Darkest Hour is available on AC I: Control You, Apple Music, Deezer
by Walter Price
Have you checked out Norweigen duo Ask Carol’s brilliantly eclectic debut LP ‘AC I: Control You’? A lot of music came out of the isolating era of the COVID-19 years, but very few have the mesmerizing grasp this one has.
‘AC I: Control You’ is 12 tracks of deep-rooted lyrics, dark and softly twisted in spots, with plenty of distortion and levity sewn into its diverse arrangments and certain to please fans of Beck, Child Seat, DYR FASER, and the like. Highlighted by the tracks “Shining Bright”, “Quiet One”, “Mountains Of Cash”, and “Run With You”, there’s one song of late that’s been creeping back into my consciousness. It’s called “Darkest Hour” and it’s a bluesy alt-rock doozy.
“Darkest Hour” has a raw and heavy tranquility in its veins. As she plays a haunting twilight riff Karoline Strømshoved sings, “There’s a child inside this monster/ Hidden away/ I can’t take this any longer/ All work and no pay…Let me show you all my weakness/ We’re all the same/ Are you scared boy, you try to catch me/ I’m on my way…”. Heady and adhesive.
Plus, as I hit publish, I noticed the band had posted a live music video in which the duo plays the song for a massive crowd….of, cows. The video is aptly titled “The OG CowChella“. Since cows were probably some of the first Earthly beings to hear the songs from AC I: Control You, this makes all the sense in the world.
You can stream “Darkest Hour”, here at the GTC.
ASK CAROL Darkest Hour
Band photo, lyrics, artwork, and quote via Bandcamp
Songwriters: Karoline Strømshoved & Ask T. Borgen
Producer: Ask Carol
Label: ChoVan Records
Mix: Matt Dyson
Mastring: Grella
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“This album was recorded here in our own studio, which we call the Auma Sonic Saloon. All songs are written by ourselves, Carol and Ask. We also produced it ourselves, in between the Covid-safe concerts we did for the neighbors cows. The cows have been listening a lot to this album already, so now it’s finally time to show it to the humans as well. Can’t wait to show y’all! :D” – AC