Wednesday, February 5, 2014

MUSIC REVIEW: LORD HURON

"She lit a fire but now she's in my every thought."
~ Lord Huron

Kirsten, me & Mary Ellen 
(Cara-you were with us in spirit)
I am incredibly lucky to have a handful of ladies here in Winchester who like to go see live music as much as I do.  They are almost always up for heading out to a show; regardless of whether or not they are familiar with the band.  That is some serious trust and dedication on their part.  Last night I dragged two of them to see Lord Huron at the Royale in Boston.  The Royale is a cozy little venue nestled in an alleyway in the theatre district; ideal for those of us who are short (like myself) and those who don't like to fight a huge crowd (like all three of us).  The show started at 9:00pm and had an opening act, so Lord Huron didn't take the stage until about 10:00; which is basically my bed time.  No joke.  So, I had to buck up and tap into the energy reserves to the best of my ability.  As soon as they took the stage, though, I was instantly transfixed and my efforts to focus were no longer an issue.  Ah, the power of good music.

Lead singer, Ben Schneider
Lord Huron is an indie-folk band based in Los Angeles and led by Ben Schneider.  This was my second time getting to see them live, but last night they were the headliner, so I got the full dose; this one both heavy and sweet.  There is no band that tells a better story than Lord Huron.  From the first note, or I should say, from the first chirp of crickets in the night sky, they rope you into their dreamlike sequence and hold you there from start to finish.  Schneider's voice swings high and low, and is both calm and eery at the same time.  He uses two different microphones to accentuate the sound and depth of each pitch.  It's insanely beautiful.  The band pieces each song together just so.  They steadily lead their listeners to a place that only exists because they are singing about it and I found myself wanting to go there, if only for that one night.  But, that's the thing.  They do let you go there with them.  It's a rhythmic journey of sorts; filled with passion, doubt, ghosts and lullabies.  And you are part of that story.  There are bands that play for you.  And there are bands that play with you.  Lord Huron does both.  They are unique in that way and in so many others; giving me good reason to continue to see them as long as they continue to play.  Last night was a gift and, as I often am after seeing live music, I will be forever grateful.

Listen to these:
She Lit a Fire  

Time To Run  

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