artpower at uc san diego Performing Arts Season 2011-2012

Loch Lomond & Horse Feathers

Loch Lomond stuns. Effortlessly combining symphonic chamber pop with the most raw, visceral and expert melodic acrobatics, the co-ed sextet employs the distinct use of harmonic vocals, mandolin, theremin, bass clarinet, and all manner of exclamatory percussion minutia to foil the even more distinct and arresting voice of lead singer/multi-instrumentalist Ritchie Young.

Seattle based label Kill Rock Stars is full of artists we love at The Loft, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, The Portland Cello Project and also Horse Feathers! After a year of touring the US in various incarnations, Horse Feathers signed to said label and proceeded to record this, their second album: ‘House With No Home’. On it they have distilled their sound into a brilliant statement of minimalist Americana. Peter and Heather’s precisely arranged strings step cautiously in and around Justin’s haunting vocal lines, and the economy of music is also reflected in the lyrics – a few evocative phrases tell rich stories, each word weighted and delivered with careful purpose. It is an album infused with rare power and emotion, restrained but always present, where the gaps between the notes can be as important as the notes themselves.

Put the two together and it makes for a gorgeous evening of some of the countries finest indie folk artists.