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EDIT INFOLoch Lomond - Little Me Will Start A Storm
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Album Details
- Artist: Loch Lomond
- Album: Little Me Will Start A Storm
- Label: Tender Loving Empire
- Year of Release: 2011
- ME Rating:
- Reviewed by: MusicCritic on 2011-02-25
RecommendLoch Lomond’s switch from one local Portland label (Hush Records) to another (Tender Loving Empire) appears to have brought with it a remarkable change in songwriting and production quality; Little Me Will Start A Storm completely demolishes all of the band’s previous efforts.
Storm wisely exploits frontman Ritchie Young’s unique vocal range. He changes his pitch from earnestly high to soberingly low, often within the same song, a change drastic enough to make you think he’s two different singers. The almost-twee crooning on ‘Elephants & Little Girls’ bears little resemblance to the morose chorus of ‘Alice Left With Stockings And Earrings’ or the shouty Celtic folk of ‘Blood Bank Me.’ The arrangement and presentation helps, too – some adept decisions were made as to when Young should go high or low, harmonize with himself, pull back or let loose. You’re likely not to notice the repetitive guitar on Storm’s catchy lead single, ‘Blue Lead Fences,’ since Young’s voice is doing all the heavy lifting. Vocal gymnastics might be a better term.
Despite being a band whose members, depending on the year, number from one to nine to six, despite using multiple, varied instruments (guitar, clarinet, sawblade), despite having song titles like ‘Alice Left With Stockings And Earrings,’ Loch Lomond manages to never tumble into that insufferable category of dorkestra. Everything on Storm adds something to the proceedings – even the frenzied clapping at the end of ‘Blood Bank Me’ feels appropriate and necessary. This is dusty, melodic folk at its finest.
Kevin Hartford
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on 2012-01-23 CharlesMartel Said:
The band from Portland Oregon have been kicking up quite a bit of interest with "Little Me Will Start a Storm ". I had checked out some of their earlier work and found little there to interest me, but was intrigued by the hubbub surrounding their latest and decided to check the band out anew. I quickly realised why I had not paid much attention earlier on.
It's not that this music is any way bad, far from it, it is generally quite good and in places rather clever. The problem is, for some reason I don't like it. It reminds me of the Waterboys' " Fishermans Blues" , an album of enforced folksiness and quaintness which lacked real substance beneath it. Now it is not often I compare a band negatively with the Waterboys, but I have done so with regard to that album which, in my view, ruined the Waterboys' career.
Perhaps it is the attempt to identify themselves with Scotland by naming themselves after the most famous of highland lakes (bar one). More likely, it is the range of instruments they bring into the songs, often without much justification, but just because they can. They may have competent musicians who can play a wide range of instruments, but there are moments when the violins and mandolins seem starkly out of place. It is all as if Loch Lomond wish to be a band of wandering minstrels, accompanying Robin Hood on his travels of earning their keep at village fetes.
And yet there is something quite beautiful here at times. There are some good melodies which set them apart from other neo-folkists (Joanna Newsom take note) and the arrangements and orchestration are well above the expected. And yet, each time I hear it I am drawn to the conclusion that there is something false about it, and that brings me round to considering the aforementioned impression it creates of a band who try too hard to create an impression on the listener. The trouble is that I do not buy it.
I keep expecting more from this album, perhaps listening until I can discover a key hidden somewhere which will unlock to door to appreciating this album. But it is not there. And the fact that the album clocks in at less than 35 minutes doesn't help for it leaves you feeling distinctly short changed. Still, there is potential here and maybe Loch Lomond will eventually realise it. But at this point, I do not find much to hold my attention.
Rating: 5/10
