I was pleased to see an anonymous comment on the recent Rick Miller post, which said "Hadn't heard of him until I read this. Not being a fan of bombastic prog, this collection hits the sweet spot. Lovely immersive lengthy pieces that transport you away for a while". That's exactly what these 'Best Of...' posts are all about, for you to discover new artists that I've loved for years, but who are still mostly unknown to the majority of people. And so on that note......
Lanterns on The Lake were founded in Newcastle in 2007, with the members coming together after playing with other bands on the local scene. Vocalist and guitarist Hazel Wilde was then engaged to guitarist Paul Gregory, and both were in a group with drummer Oliver Ketteringham, while Wilde and violinist Sarah Kemp were old school friends. Brothers Brendan (bass) and Adam Sykes (guitar, vocals) completed the line-up, and with a limited budget and a D.I.Y. ethos, they borrowed an 8-track recorder and set about creating their first two releases, 2009's 'Starlight EP', and the following years 'Misfortunes & Minor Victories', capturing the intimacy that was afforded to them by recording in their own homes and an abandoned house in Northumberland. They self-released the records with handmade sleeves, and organized a series of gigs in obscure places, such as a boat house on the Tyne River and the Tan Hill Inn, highest pub in Britain, garnering a strong following in the process. They eventually signed to the Bella Union label in 2011, and although they were given a recording budget for their debut album, 'Gracious Tide, Take Me Home', it was captured in a very similar vein to their EPs. Gregory oversaw production and escalating instrumentation, which featured guitars, violin, mandolin, piano, synths, and glockenspiels, while imagery of the sea and water resonated throughout the bands work. The Sykes brothers parted ways with the group in 2012, and the remaining members carried on, releasing sophomore album 'Until The Colours Run' in 2013. The following year, Kemp also left the band, so they added strings player Angela Chan and bassist Bob Allan to the official lineup, which recorded 2015's 'Beings' in isolation in their Newcastle rehearsal space. With the return of all five members from 'Beings', the band's fourth studio album, 'Spook The Herd', arrived on Bella Union in early 2020, and it was shortlisted for that years Mercury Prize. Three years passed before we heard from the band again, but 2023's 'Versions Of Us' was another great album from them, this time co-produced by Radiohead's Phil Selway, who also contributed drums to the album. If you have heard of this band then it is probably due to their hauntingly beautiful 'Don't Have Nightmares' being specially written and performed for the BBC Radio 4 series 'Uncanny', but if that is the only thing that you know from them then do sample their other work on this collection, as they have much more to offer than that one song.
Lanterns on The Lake were founded in Newcastle in 2007, with the members coming together after playing with other bands on the local scene. Vocalist and guitarist Hazel Wilde was then engaged to guitarist Paul Gregory, and both were in a group with drummer Oliver Ketteringham, while Wilde and violinist Sarah Kemp were old school friends. Brothers Brendan (bass) and Adam Sykes (guitar, vocals) completed the line-up, and with a limited budget and a D.I.Y. ethos, they borrowed an 8-track recorder and set about creating their first two releases, 2009's 'Starlight EP', and the following years 'Misfortunes & Minor Victories', capturing the intimacy that was afforded to them by recording in their own homes and an abandoned house in Northumberland. They self-released the records with handmade sleeves, and organized a series of gigs in obscure places, such as a boat house on the Tyne River and the Tan Hill Inn, highest pub in Britain, garnering a strong following in the process. They eventually signed to the Bella Union label in 2011, and although they were given a recording budget for their debut album, 'Gracious Tide, Take Me Home', it was captured in a very similar vein to their EPs. Gregory oversaw production and escalating instrumentation, which featured guitars, violin, mandolin, piano, synths, and glockenspiels, while imagery of the sea and water resonated throughout the bands work. The Sykes brothers parted ways with the group in 2012, and the remaining members carried on, releasing sophomore album 'Until The Colours Run' in 2013. The following year, Kemp also left the band, so they added strings player Angela Chan and bassist Bob Allan to the official lineup, which recorded 2015's 'Beings' in isolation in their Newcastle rehearsal space. With the return of all five members from 'Beings', the band's fourth studio album, 'Spook The Herd', arrived on Bella Union in early 2020, and it was shortlisted for that years Mercury Prize. Three years passed before we heard from the band again, but 2023's 'Versions Of Us' was another great album from them, this time co-produced by Radiohead's Phil Selway, who also contributed drums to the album. If you have heard of this band then it is probably due to their hauntingly beautiful 'Don't Have Nightmares' being specially written and performed for the BBC Radio 4 series 'Uncanny', but if that is the only thing that you know from them then do sample their other work on this collection, as they have much more to offer than that one song.
Track listing
01 Through The Cellar Door (from 'Beings' 2015)
02 Not Going Back To The Harbour (from 'Gracious Tide, Take Me Home' 2011)
03 Another Tale From Another English Town (from 'Until The Colours Run' 2013)
04 I Love You, Sleepyhead (from 'Gracious Tide, Take Me Home' 2011)
05 String Theory (from 'Versions of Us' 2023)
06 Lungs Quicken (from 'Gracious Tide, Take Me Home' 2011)
07 The Likes Of Us (from 'Versions Of Us' 2023)
08 Every Atom (from 'Spook The Herd' 2020)
09 Of Dust And Matter (from 'Beings' 2015)
10 Ships In The Rain (from 'Gracious Tide, Take Me Home' 2011)
11 Real Life (from 'Versions Of Us' 2023)
12 Don't Have Nightmares (theme from the BBC Radio show 'Uncanny' 2021)
13 A Kingdom (from 'Gracious Tide, Take Me Home' 2011)
14 Faultlines (from 'Beings' 2015)
15 Swimming Lessons (from 'Spook The Herd '2020)
Amazing 👏
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