For our next series we are going to be exploring various locations in Redwoods National & State Parks. First up, Grove of the Titans!

The interesting thing about this grove is that it is not on the official Redwood National Park map. That’s because it became too popular in the Instagram and Google maps era. Visitation grew exponentially in the late 2000’s and 2010’s. The bases and roots of the trees were getting trampled. In response, the park service installed 1,500 feet of metal boardwalk in 2019—contributing a signature sound mark to this particular soundwalk.

The other factor the park service considered in its decision to reduce official visibility of this grove is limited access to the trailhead itself, via Howland Hill Road, an old stagecoach route. On this dusty, winding, single-lane gravel road you can practically reach out the window and touch massive old-growth trees—and cars passing the other direction!

The truth is, the grove isn’t markedly more spectacular than others in the park, which are easier to visit.

But there are some unique features. One centerpiece may be Screaming Titans, a fused tree with a diameter of 30 feet, seen from the central platform.

Another is Chesty Puller, where the boardwalk winds around another fused giant on a slope.

None of these pictures convey the sense of awe that one feels being here in person.

What is most distinctive about the soundscape, though, is the absence of sound. We made our visit in the evening, which I’d recommend for the mellow light and the thinned-down crowds on a summer day. Except for the ravens, who add their calls in the final minutes, you’d be hard pressed to pick out other birds, who are sparsely seen but go largely unheard. This surprised me, even in July. My guess is it’s a different story in the early morning.

But, there is something quieting about the trees themselves, too. The extensive surface area of deeply pitted bark really does dampen sound energy. It’s distinctive for the absence of reverberation that one expects in a grove of trees.

"The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always. No one has ever successfully painted or photographed a redwood tree. The feeling they produce is not transferable. From them comes silence and awe. It's not only their unbelievable stature, nor the color which seems to shift and vary under your eyes, no, they are not like any trees we know, they are ambassadors from another time." - John Steinbeck

The backbone of my score instrumentation is the Hohner Pianet electric piano. Playing off that is a Korg Prototype 8 patch that is sure to cause some lean-back listeners to lean in, on first hearing it. (You’ll have to listen via streaming or consider become a supporting subscriber to get my drift here, as it enters the mix in track 4, about five and a half minutes in.) Lastly, there’s a little upright piano, celeste and dulcimer. In all, quite minimal. That seems to be my trajectory. Less is more, even when there’s no birdsong.

I hope you enjoy this very quiet soundwalk through Grove of the Titans. It is most certainly not the default vibe here. If you can make the trip, especially in summer, expect plenty of company. This, and other coast redwood groves here are truly wonders of our planet!

Thanks for listening and reading. I’m thankful for your interest. Grove of the Titans Soundwalk is available on all streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple, Tidal, Amazon, YouTube…) on Friday, March 7th.

My usual approach angles don’t seem to apply here. This is something new. This is Crou.

I think I’m going to script a conversation, à la NPR. Bear with me. Here goes:

What is Crou, other than the first four letters of your last name?

Well, it’s the letters printed on the slip for a reserved library book on the pickup shelves: CROU. It’s a pet name my wife sometimes uses. And, it’s something I want be a placeholder for a side project that isn’t fully defined.

How do you pronounce it?

I say “creow”. Like meow. You can saw “creu”, like crew. I guess that’s part of the appeal in the name for me. It’s not fixed.

You just spun off Listening Spot, right?

Yes, and I actually used those words, even though they’re giving gimmicky energy. Listening Spot and Crou, and some of the others that have come before could have been projects released under the name Chad Crouch, but I’m already pushing it when it comes to having a “right-sized” release catalog.

Is there anything different about the music?

Yes. There are no field recordings with Crou. And, there is, for now, a hint of vocals… Otherwise, pretty similar, really.

Anything else?

Hmm… I’ve really been enjoying old photographic images; glass plate negatives, sepia-toned silver gelatin prints; that kind of thing. Might be a visual direction for the project. It is for this release!

The debut release Coots by Crou is available on all music streaming sites (Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Tidal, etc. Friday, February 28th.

Earlier this week: Reflecting on some formative New Age exposure.