The British five-piece band Lanterns on the Lake have been around for some time but are now gaining a whole new level of attention for their brand of indie-pop. And I suspect that that attention will ramp up with the release of Spook the Herd. The new album drops on Bella Union on Friday and it's a fairly rich listening experience.
"When It All Comes True" sounds enough like Florence and the Machine to make any newcomers to this band feel comfortable, the vocals from Hazel Wilde being strong and commanding here on this album opener. Elsewhere, "Before They Excavate" nods in the direction of old numbers from The Delgados, while "Swimming Lessons" and "Every Atom" churn with a nice kind of roiling intensity. Lots of this has a sort of same-y vibe to it, despite the best efforts of the players, but, ultimately, it's the vocals of Hazel Wilde that make this record an enticing proposition. The stark "A Fitting End", however, suggests, as the album closes, that Lanterns on the Lake are capable of modulating their approach a bit, and allowing more textures to creep in, and fewer Florence and the Machine comparisons to even be considered.
Spook the Herd is out on Bella Union.
More details on Lanterns on the Lake via the band's official Facebook page.
[Photo: Bella Union]