Lorna
Writing Down Things to Say
[WM24 37 min CD rel November 17, 2008]
Writing Down Things To Say is the third album by Nottingham, England's orchestral pop songsmiths Lorna. The quartet follow up their highly acclaimed 2005 record Static Patterns and Souvenirs with that rare album that eschews convenient classification — embracing an expansive sonic palette without sounding eclectic — in no small part due to the dozens of instruments the band is able to skillfully perform and weave into the record's nine compositions.
Throughout Writing Down Things To Say Lorna tours folk ("Look Left," "Warm Architecture"), old-time country ("A Place That We Can Go"), chamber pop ("Mostly Good Times"), post-rock ("East of the Stars"), avant-lounge ("(I Wish I Knew) How to Build a House"), and even twee ("Monsters Are Forever").
But the genius of Lorna lies in the masterful (husband and wife) songwriting team of Mark Rolfe and Sharon Cohen-Rolfe. The duo have created an album unified in theme and texture by seamlessly cross-pollinating their songs with traces of all these musical genres — deftly bringing pedal steels, harmonicas, string quartets, vintage keyboards, and woodwind and brass arrangements into the fold —not to mention their sumptuous vocal harmonies.
"Look Left" and "Warm Architecture," a pair of acoustic pieces, frame the record with deceptive simplicity as Rolfe gracefully, and without ego, captures city life with an optimistic lens — much like the band does with its minimalistic photography of an expansive seascape that graces Writing Down Things to Say's album art.
"Not In My Lighthouse" bustles with a warm bed of keyboards, on top of which Mark Rolfe's gentle vocals casually flirt with alternating clarinet and flute melodies. This patient courtship builds to yield a wistfulness and exquisiteness once realized by Scotland's romantic perfectionists The Blue Nile.
On "Think (Let Tomorrow Bee)" Sharon Cohen-Rolfe's voice is undressed to its poignant core - sheltered only by occasional strings and sparse acoustic guitar. The song is a stark interpretation of the 1993 Sebadoh composition — much in the way Ivo's This Mortal Coil project breathed a fresh new atmosphere into the music of Tim Buckley or Roy Harper.
"(I Wish I Knew) How to Build a House" employs a 7/8 meter to daringly bridge the intersection of post-rock and electro-pop — perhaps having a conversation with American Analog Set and Stereolab along the way.
"East of the Stars," penned by Lorna's flutist Matt Harrison, lovingly recalls Words On Music labelmates Coastal — with Cohen-Rolfe's hushed vocals presiding over brushed drums, minimalist guitars, and soothing keys and strings.
Writing Down Things To Say is a record that rewards multiple listens, as the sundry instruments that are subtly and cleverly woven into the rich fabric of Lorna's songwriting surface and bloom.
Track Listing
look left
not in my lighthouse
think (let tomorrow bee)
(i wish i knew) how to build a house
a place that we can go
mostly good times
monsters are forever
east of the stars
warm architecture
LORNA CUSTOMER SERVICE
Lorna was originally formed as a studio project in 1997 by Nottingham, England songwriter Mark Rolfe, gradually expanding over the years to a quartet. Lorna's songs are conceived, written, and produced by the band in their own studio Stars of Winnetka, with the assistance from various collaborators and an eclectic and wide range of instrumentation. Studio work is Lorna's forte - Rolfe has a deep-rooted understanding and knowledge of conventional music theory as well as orchestration, and singer Sharon Cohen has spent years of academic and self-study of Music Production and Technology. Multi-instrumentalist and long time collaborater with Mark is musician Andy Bullock who takes the responsibility of bass live but adds far more in the studio with his grounded vocals Matt Harrison completes the core of Lorna's studio and songwriting team, contributing his classical knowledge and affection for electronic experimentation.
Lorna released their first CD-EP Never Grow Old in March 2000 on Nottingham independent label Intromit Records. Seduced and intrigued by the release, the head of Heavenly Recordings (Jeff Barrett) immediately signed Lorna to a publishing deal through EMI Music in 2001. The next two years were was spent recording over 40 new tracks.
More experimentation, inspiration, and collaboration - including work with members of Six By Seven, Spiritualized, and Echoboy - led to a 7" vinyl release in 2001 through the Spanish label Becalmed Records. The single received critical acclaim and worldwide airplay. "Piano and guitar notes fall like teardrops. This is imagined memory where Brian Wilson invites Slowdive to work with him."
In 2003, Lorna completed their first proper album, "This Time, Each Year" - a collection of fourteen new songs. The album was released in December 2003 by the Spanish label Pause Music. It received immense critical acclaim, and by January 2004 "This Time, Each Year" was already marked for Album Of The Year by many Spanish radio stations. The band took on a full promotional tour of Spain to astounding success including slots of national daytime TV and radio and playing capacity shows at cities including Madrid and Valencia. Following the European release of "This Time, Each Year," Lorna signed with US based label Hybrid Electric Records in early 2004 to release the album in the US and Canada.
In late November 2004 Lorna released The December EP on their own label, Winnetka Records. This release was a strictly limited edition, handmade CD-EP of five original and traditional holiday songs in which the band donated 100% of all sales directly to a small number of volunteer-run animal shelters and rescue homes throughout the United Kingdom.
In January 2005 Lorna signed to Words On Music for the worldwide release of their second album, Static Patterns and Souvenirs. The album showcases eleven new songs that use Scottish pop, postrock, folk, and dream pop as signposts. Lorna invigorates each of these genres by injecting a complex yet seamless array of instrumentation, both traditional (pedal steel, classical guitar, flute, vibraphone, viola, banjo, French horn, flugelhorn, harmonica, mandola) and experimental (theremin, found noises, electronics). This orchestration serves as an innovative anchor to the compelling melodies sung, often in tandum, by Mark Rolfe, Sharon Cohen, and Andrew Bullock. Repeated listens are rewarded with newfound orchestral discoveries throughout these stunning musical arrangements. 2005 saw Lorna journey to California for their first USA shows with label mates Coastal. In 2006 Lorna signed with Words On Music to release their third album, "Writing down things to say" was recorded between 2006-2007. Writing down things to say was released on November 18th 2008, during which time the band have made "exciting progress" on a fourth album which they started in 2007.
Lorna have recently toured and played with:
Evan Dando, Mark Gardener (Ride), Midlake, Six By Seven, American Analog Set
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