Often seen putting on concerts for cows in rural Norway, Ask Carol are old favourites who haven’t graced our blog for a while.
By Graeme Smith
You have to go back to 2022 to find our last mention of them, but they’ve always been on my mind. When I last checked in on them, they were playing raucous alternative rock, yet their latest single, Cold July, shows a gentler side to their sound.
A delicate, mournful acoustic guitar melody opens it. Carol’s searching vocals come in as the track explores the world as a young person coming to terms with its fractured feel, drawing inspiration from ’60s protest songs. It’s as much Bob Dylan as it is Elliott Smith.
As the track progresses, its emotion hits harder and harder, culminating in a haunting finale where Ask Carol deliver their defiant message, paying tribute to Greta Thunberg and other activists.
Hailing from Auma, Norway, Ask Carol make quite the racket for a two-piece. Carol manages to play bass and guitar all at once, while Ask rounds out the sound on drums and synth. We’ve shared their singles, an album, and even chatted to them on our podcast.
Cold July is out now, and you can listen to it below.
