The Lark and The Loon
The scent of crisp autumn leaves on a cold early morning, the creaking of an old wooden porch and the flash of a startled barn swallow all exist within the very sound of the wonderfully evocative Songbirds and Fog by The Lark and The Loon.
Comprised of Mid-westerners Rocky Steen and Jeff Rolfzen, The Lark and The Loon are an endlessly talented folk-roots duo that can pen lyrics that make you long for places and people you haven’t thought about in ages. After starting out in the Twin Cities and spending time in Chicago, the duo relocated to a farm in the Ozarks to allow their music to marinate in the rural beauty that surrounded them. What germinated shortly after would blossom into this dazzlingly sprawling double-debut record.
The well-crafted Songbirds and Fog shines with an honest, handmade sound that absolutely reflects the intimate, mostly live analog conditions that the album was recorded in as well as the down in the dirt and close to nature environment that the songs were initially written in. The entire record sounds like a few friends stopping by to jam on a few instruments in your kitchen while you brew a stew.
Reminiscent of Norman Blake, Tony Rice and Iris Dement (with a touch of Music from Big Pink) this laid back record feels steeped in tradition while still showcasing an incredible talent of original songwriting. For instance, “Under The Light of The Moon” is brilliantly catchy, addictive and so picturesque, you can practically see the moonlight shining down on a nighttime prairie landscape. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more pleasant and mellow song from 2016 than this one.
If you enjoy folk, bluegrass or can just appreciate a well-crafted song sung by a pair of voices that were obviously made to sing together, then The Lark and The Loon’s Songbirds and Fog is the next album that you should hear (and especially on vinyl).
-KH
The Lark and The Loon can be found at:
Record Crates United 