Over the past few years, many bands have mixed intimate folk with lush orchestration, but few have embraced classical influences as fully as Chapel Hill, NC's Lost in the Trees. The group's head songwriter, Ari Picker, has studied film scoring at Berklee College of Music, and you can hear evidence of his compositional training all over the lush arrangements of All Alone in an Empty House, the band's upcoming debut album.
All Alone in an Empty House isn't due out until August 10 via Anti-, but you can listen to it here, where it will be streaming all week on Exclaim.ca.
The collection's 11 songs range from sparse folk ballads to ornate baroque rock, bringing to mind the string-laden theatrics of like-minded outfits such as Arcade Fire and Grizzly Bear. None of these acts venture quite as far into neoclassicism as Lost in the Trees, however: the harpsichord/orchestral interplay of "Mvt. 1 Sketch" puts Picker's film score training to good use, and it would not sound out of place in a period piece about British royalty. Elsewhere, the band cut loose on electrified rocker "Fireplace" and the furious junkshop strumming of "A Room Where Your Paintings Are Hung."
With such a knack for both pop rock immediacy and chamber folk intricacy, it's no surprise that the seven-piece ensemble are quickly earning accolades for their lush, complex sound. They recently completed a lengthy tour with Plants and Animals, and later this summer will hit the road with Neko Case. There are no Canadian dates currently booked, but keep an eye out on the band's MySpace.
All Alone in an Empty House will be streaming on Exclaim.ca until July 12.
Stay tuned for these future full album streams on Exclaim.ca:
Frazey Ford Obadiah July 13 to July 19
The Books The Way Out July 20 to July 26
Versus On the Ones and Threes July 27 to August 2
All Alone in an Empty House isn't due out until August 10 via Anti-, but you can listen to it here, where it will be streaming all week on Exclaim.ca.
The collection's 11 songs range from sparse folk ballads to ornate baroque rock, bringing to mind the string-laden theatrics of like-minded outfits such as Arcade Fire and Grizzly Bear. None of these acts venture quite as far into neoclassicism as Lost in the Trees, however: the harpsichord/orchestral interplay of "Mvt. 1 Sketch" puts Picker's film score training to good use, and it would not sound out of place in a period piece about British royalty. Elsewhere, the band cut loose on electrified rocker "Fireplace" and the furious junkshop strumming of "A Room Where Your Paintings Are Hung."
With such a knack for both pop rock immediacy and chamber folk intricacy, it's no surprise that the seven-piece ensemble are quickly earning accolades for their lush, complex sound. They recently completed a lengthy tour with Plants and Animals, and later this summer will hit the road with Neko Case. There are no Canadian dates currently booked, but keep an eye out on the band's MySpace.
All Alone in an Empty House will be streaming on Exclaim.ca until July 12.
Stay tuned for these future full album streams on Exclaim.ca:
Frazey Ford Obadiah July 13 to July 19
The Books The Way Out July 20 to July 26
Versus On the Ones and Threes July 27 to August 2
