Lost Channels

Great Lake Swimmers – Lost Channels

Mellow, chill folk-rock. Toronto-based, The Great Lake Swimmers is a band I have been trying to get into for a long time, but just haven’t clicked with them yet. This is inoffensive and easy enough to like, though it doesn’t do anything groundbreaking. The Great Lake Swimmers have always had a modest, low-key sound that thrives on mellow mood. Most of these tracks would make for good radio. I was led to The Great Lake Swimmers by Okkervil River, Shearwater, the Mountain Goats, Neil Young, Grizzly Bear, Mark Kozelek, etc. (They do have the ‘sadcore’ label attached to them.) I wouldn’t say that this sounds like any of them specifically, but maybe that’s helpful. Lyrics are great, too; check out the lyric booklet. The album is pretty cohesive and carries a strong sense of mood throughout. 4, 8, 11 are great, sedate, percussion-less tunes, while the rest I starred are more folk-rock pop songs. No FCCs.

*1. Almost an REM jangly pop feel to this, with some folk rock touches, strong backing vocals, concise pop song. (I just noticed allmusic made the same REM comparison. I made it on my own first, though!) (2:35)
2. Backing female vocals, loungey, relaxed rhythm, light, modest electric guitar smoothly wanders over the lovely vocals. About questioning falling in love. (4:19)
*3. Mandolin, organ, acoustic guitars give this a very folky feel. The lead single, choruses are catchy and instrumentation is pretty appealing. (3:19)
*4. Cello, vibraphone are added here. Very slow, pretty low-key piece. Beautiful. (3:32)
5. More rollicking rocker, guitars, pedal steel and mandolin fill out the sound.(4:04)
*6. Folky banjo, violin, mellow folk rock, vocals are lovely, violin plays a prominent role, hint of alt-country. (3:22)
7. Interlude of chiming bells. (0:48)
*8. Melancholy, sad song with modest production. Haunting in a reserved, unpretentious way. (3:47)
9. More upbeat tune, bobbing bass, does not really build or go anywhere, kind of repetitive, no percussion. (2:51)
*10. Very folksy…sounds like one of those ‘traditional’ folk songs, flute, banjo, violin add to the usual here. No percussion, but rich vocals. (3:20)
*11. Simplistic ballad, only vocals, guitar piano. Lovely. (4:21)
*12. Light percussion, soft folk, more sweet loveliness with prominent banjo. Not a (3:25)