Normally, the best way to witness a band becoming more confident is during a live performance, while watching the group get a feel for the room and the crowd, and hearing their songs become more self-assured as their stage legs become steadier. It’s a rare thing to actually hear a band building confidence as their record progresses, finding their voices and gaining poise from one song to the next, but that is precisely what happens on The Absent Arch’s strong debut record Keep Calm And Carry On.

The songs become more composed and balanced, and the vocals grow more affecting, as the album proceeds, building in intensity as the band finds its footing. Given the intimate sound of the songs, and the band’s attempt to capture the energy and urgency of their live performance while recording in a dingy basement, it’s easy to view the record as a progression through a set list, with emotion and spirit building with each song. Will Markwardt’s raspy vocals ground the songs solidly through lyrics that are infused with convincing characters simply searching for something real; to be feared for their firearms (”Little Kids”), as well as regarded for their once-tailored suit (”Tatters & Thimbles”). It’s quite easy to relate to and recognize the subjects of these songs, which only adds to the bond the listener can form with this album.

The bare bones folk and roots sound of the arrangements wouldn’t necessarily work so well without Markwardt’s stirring vocals, as well as the risks the band chose to take with the production on the record. Anthony Poretti’s drums occasionally sound like they were recorded in a distant room, and the backing vocals sound at times like they are being shouted from the roof. Brian Voerding’s subtle trumpet and Poretti’s stellar but sparse drum fills add depth to the overall emotion of tracks like “No Titles…None At All,” the centerpiece of the ten song record, and the point where the band really hits their stride. It’s a song I’m still trying to decipher, but it takes me somewhere every time I listen, which is all we can really hope for from good music.

“Namesake,” which features Jonathan Waldo’s haunting viola and the steady bass line of Will Garrison, is a benevolent one-way dialogue between a son who just wants to drink and commiserate with his father, finally having the courage to ask him the tough questions that perhaps he wouldn’t when sober. It’s this sort of raw, candid sentiment that really draws the listener in, with the delicate, understated arrangements guiding the songs tastefully towards their end. “Texas, 1935″ is epic, in both length (seven minutes) and scope, and its grand image of a boy and the poem he wrote and nailed to the wall next to his bed, has stayed with me in the way only distinctive lyrics do, and becomes what I visualize as I listen to the track, with the Dust Bowl raging just outside the window. It’s a lovely song.

The Absent Arch have crafted an album rich in both mood and melody, creating indelible images and memorable songs that seem to sound slightly better with some snow falling outside. I’m curious as to what direction the group decides to take their sound in the future, but for right now, Keep Calm And Carry On has definitely taken its place as the most assured and memorable record amongst the wealth of great local releases within the past year.

The Absent Arch “No Titles… None At All” (mp3)

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