Release Date: October 9th, 2012
Like a wistful and contemplative cowboy roaming the range, Lord Huron emerges with their first full-length album, Lonesome Dreams. They bring with them the winds of the West—cowboys, intrigue and even a slide guitar.
What once began as a solo project for Ben Schneider has grown into a five-piece, including Mark Barry (percussion and vocals), Miguel Briseno (bass and percussion), Brett Farkas (guitar and vocals) and Tom Renaud (guitar and vocals). Originally hailing from Michigan, Schneider had moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in visual arts. After spending a week on the shores of Lake Huron during a trip home in spring 2010, however, he was inspired to further pursue his musical interests. And within the same year, he churned out two EPs: Mighty and Into the Sun.
Although often compared to Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket and Mumford & Sons, Lord Huron has a sound all their own: avant-garde Old Western meets folk (with an underlying sprinkle of rock-a-billy). Layers of guitars, percussion, harmonicas, wind chimes, tambourines, strings and vocal harmonies produce a rich texture in Lonesome Dreams. It’s especially impressive considering it’s the group’s first full-length album.
In “Time to Run,” the first single released from Lonesome Dreams, the beat is contagious. As with many of the album’s tracks, this song starts off slow and picks up about a minute in. The song’s video is only further evidence that Schneider is talented musically, artistically and visually. Following his vision, the video is a mini-movie encompassing all things Western.
Love, relationships and landscapes (especially lake shores) are common threads throughout Lonesome Dreams. “The Man Who Lives Forever,” is introduced with a bouncy steel-drum. “Said that death is a deal that you cannot refuse / But I love you girl and I don’t wanna lose you,” Schneider sings. But the relationships Lord Huron sing about extends further than just girlfriends — to lifelong friendships. In the toe-tapping, hand-clapping “Brothers,” they sing: “Some brothers your born to, some you meet along the way / What makes them the real deal is knowing they’ll be there when things go south, no matter what.” In the background, all the songs have a dreamy feeling is transported to a mountainside, along the shore of a lake or out on a lonely, desolate range where the sky stretches as far as the eye can see. The album is a storytelling experience that is deeper than just what’s audible.
Listeners can descend into the sepia-draped Lonesome Dreams, where nostalgic visions of cowboys, sunsets and the Old West are abound.
Lord Huron – Lonesome Dreams tracklist:
- “Ends of the Earth”
- “Time to Run”
- “Lonesome Dreams”
- “The Ghost on the Shore”
- “She Lit a Fire”
- “I Will Be Back One Day”
- “The Man Who Lives Forever”
- “Lullaby”
- “Brother”
- “In the Wind”
