All Alone in an Empty House

by Lost in the Trees

Overview

In a different era of indie music, it might have proven more difficult for the folk/classical/pop fusion of Lost in the Trees to make an impact, but in an artistic climate softened by the likes of Final Fantasy, Sufjan Stevens, St. Vincent, etc., the North Carolina ensemble was able to give All Alone in an Empty House a second life. Originally released on the tiny Trekky label in 2008 at an EP-ish length, All Alone was picked up by Anti Records and given a 2010 birthday with a couple of extra tracks to boot. Originally Ari Picker's one-man home recording project, Lost in the Trees have blossomed into a full-blown band, and a big one at that, busting at the seams with string players who lend the music a classical flavor. Of course, that classical element begins with Picker's compositions themselves -- he's a classically trained composer who had debuted his own symphony before the release of All Alone, and his writing reflects that experience. But while he's adept at weaving sweeping string sections into gentle art folk compositions in a manner that might very well find support among Joanna Newsom admirers, Picker doesn't seem at all averse to segregating the overt classical and folk-pop pieces. As you might intuit from their rather utilitarian titles, "Mvt. 1 Sketch" and "Mvt. 2 Sketch" are fully realized orchestral instrumental compositions, and each one happens to be followed by the most unadorned, acoustic guitar-driven moments on the album ("Song for the Painter" and "For Leah and Chloe," respectively). Picker's high warbling vocals are equally applicable to gentle elegant melodic arcs and the album's more angst-ridden moments like the rockish, electric guitar-centered "Fireplace," but it's as a composer -- one with a healthy disregard of musical boundaries -- that he truly excels. ~ J. Allen

Product Details

Release Date:	08/10/2010
Label:	Anti-
UPC:	0045778709816
Rank:	72630

Tracks

1. All Alone in an Empty House
2. Walk Around the Lake
3. Mvt. I Sketch
4. Song for the Painter
5. Fireplace
6. Love on My Side
7. Wooden Walls of This Forest Church
8. A Room Where Your Paintings Hang
9. We Burn the Leaves
10. Mvt. II Sketch
11. For Leah and Chloe

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Lost in the Trees   Primary Artist
Scott Carle   Drums
Mark Daumen   Tuba,Percussion
Joah Tunnell   Bass,Vocals,Baritone,Guitar (Electric)
Ari Picker   Bells,Organ,Vocals,Harpsichord,Guitar (Acoustic)
Wendy Allen   Vocals (Background)
Emma Nadeau   Horn,Piano,Vocals,Accordion,Percussion
Lauren Payuter   Violin
Neel-Gopal Sharpma   Viola
Leah Gibson   Cello
Callie Jamar   Violin
Will Gabbons   Piano
Andrew Anagnostopoolos   Cello
Corynn Loebs   Violin
Katie Wyatt   Viola,Violin
Jonny Tonnell   Vocals (Background)
Ken Carle   Horn
Will Hackney   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Dave McNair   Mastering
Dan Efram   Management
Ari Picker   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Paul Buck   Booking
Amy Butterer   Booking
Karen Shelton   Photography
Dan Schreier   Mixing
Ron Picker   Photography
Scott Salter   Mixing,Engineer,Additional Production