So many good things come out of Portland, Oregon. Here is another one. Loch Lomond. Write that name down. For they are good and so is their third release, "Paper The Walls". This album builds and develops the ideas brought forth in their excellent 2006 EP "Lament For Children". Loch Lomond were originally conceived in 2003 as the solo project of singer Ritchie Young. Fast forward to 2007 and the band has grown to 9. However, the thing that strikes me about this band is that although they are large in number, their sound is extremely intimate. Personal to the extreme, the music is all quietly delivered beauty. Pastoral folk if you will.

The opening song "Carl Sagan" will give you a pretty good idea what to expect. Young's vocals are tender and giving, but he manages to build in power as the song progresses. The music is a delightful concoction of multi instrumentation. Besides the obligatory guitar, there is also cello, violin, mandolin, celeste, theremin, clarinet and saw. The feeling continues into "A Field Report". This is not music to grab you by the scruff of the neck, rather it beguiles and enchants. Leaving you awash in a sea of serenity. There is also a connection to fellow Portlanders Horse Feathers, as Peter and Heather Broderick from that band also play in Loch Lomond. Delightful as the first half is, I think the album really hits its stride in the second half. "Scabs On This Year" features absolutely gorgeous strings, whilst "Stripe II" whispers quietly into your ear. "Song in 3/4 " is precisely that, its rhythms resonate The Decemberists and "All Your Friends Are Smiling" is a perfect closer, full of delicious and evocative four part harmonies. Recorded at Type Foundry in Portland by Adam Selzer (Norfolk and Western), "Paper The Walls" is not revolutionary, but it is evolutionary. Full of earthy texture, it feels organic and natural. Its great charm and generous heart is sure to win you over.

Purchase now from Hush Records.
MP3: Carl Sagan
MP3: Stripe II