aaamusic | On 03, Jul 2011

Regular Bella Union collaborator Alex Southam has made a suitably haunting video to the Lanterns on the Lake track “You’re Almost There”, creating a sequence of arresting images to match the beauty of the music.

Lanterns on the Lake – You’re Almost There from Bella Union on Vimeo.

n other news, Lanterns On The Lake have found an early champion in the form of composer extraodinaire Yann Tiersen who has invited them to support him on his UK tour in October which includes a London perfromance at the Roundhouse. Upcoming UK live info below…

Friday 8 July – WHITLEY BAY – The Playhouse

Saturday 23 July – NORTH YORKSHIRE – Deer Shed

Sunday 24 July – OXFORDSHIRE – Truck Festival

Friday 12 August – DURHAM – Leave Me Here

Sunday 4 September – DORSET – End Of The Road

Sunday 11 September – ISLE OF WIGHT – Bestival

Thursday 20 October – LONDON – Roundhouse (supporting Yann Tiersen)

Friday 21 October – BRIGHTON – Concorde II (supporting Yann Tiersen)

Saturday 22 October – LEEDS – Brudenell (supporting Yann Tiersen)

Sunday 23 October – GLASGOW – ABC (supporting Yann Tiersen)

Monday 24 October – MANCHESTER – Academy II (supporting Yann Tiersen)

Tuesday 25 October – BIRMINGHAM – Academy (supporting Yann Tiersen)

Fuse the most fragile and graceful end of the folk music spectrum to the most luminous properties of cinemscope rock, and you have the stunning debut album from Newcastle-based sextet Lanterns On The Lake. Following two rapturously received EPs, Gracious Tide, Take Me Home warrants the use of often over-played adjectives such as “celestial”, “swooning” and “absolutely bloody gorgeous.” For an album debut, that’s something special, because most bands don’t reach such an exalted plateau until they’ve had years to mature.
On that exalted plateau, Gracious Tide… uses a smorgasbord of instruments (guitars, violin, mandolin, piano, synths, glockenspiels, kalimba) to paint a variety of beautiful vistas. From the ambient ‘Ships In The Rain’ to the galloping “A Kingdom”, there’s a compelling drama to Lanterns On The Lake.

Lanterns On The Lake – You’re Almost There by Bella Union

Given the emotional heft and melodic riches on show, it’s no surprise that Lanterns On The Lake found their way to Bella Union records. There’s an undeniable vein of sadness through this music – ‘Ships In The Rain’ was prompted by the story of a local fisherman who went missing at sea, while ‘A Kingdom’ was inspired by the book of letters sent home by WW2 soldiers – but there is just as much hope in tracks like ‘Lungs Quicken’ and ‘Keep on Trying’, where fear and insecurities are banished by self-belief. Mirroring the sentiment of the album title, tracks like ‘I Love You, Sleepyhead’ and ‘Places We Call Home’ draw on the comfort and security of friendship and memory.
“Gracious Tide, Take Me Home” is released 19th September on Bella Union records.