Bold to say one of the best debut albums I’ve ever heard? Easily in the top ten. Man, what
an album!
Strange Trails has been one of my favourite albums I’ve listened to this year, and Lord Huron in general is
constantly in my rotation. With their new album Cosmic Selector coming out recently, I wanted to go back and
check out their debut before diving into the new album, as this one has been on my list of albums to check
out for quite a while now. Am I ever glad I did! This is an absolutely fantastic debut, cementing exactly
what Lord Huron is while still providing lots of room to grow.
I know The Night We Met is their most popular song, but I think Ends of the Earth is THE quintessential
Lord
Huron song. It’s got it all: lead singer Ben Schneider’s inspiring and hopeful voice, fantastically
complimentary guitar work and suitable tones and effects, and whimsical lyricism invoking themes of
adventure, with all the baggage of loss, fear, anxiety, and excitement that comes with it. Their music has a
sort of indescribable quality of fantasy to them, bringing to mind lush landscapes and perilous sights. That
might not make a lot of sense, but the cover art for this album does a much better job at describing what
I’m talking about. It’s incredibly beautiful, showcasing a lone traveller venturing out into the unknown.
What will they discover on their journey? Ends of the Earth does a perfect job of setting up this journey,
and the complicated feelings the protagonist has as they set off. It might be basic, but it’s my favourite
song on the album, and one of Lord Huron’s absolute best. However, by no means does this set the album on a
downward trajectory. There are many other fantastic tracks on this quest, and Ends of the Earth is just the
first one!
One thing you’ll notice immediately with this album is the flow. This isn’t just a
collection of songs, it’s
a full experience, and the track listing is essential to this flow. That being said, these songs still stand
excellently on their own, outside of the narrative of the album. Time to Run comes perfectly out of Ends of
the Earth, an appropriate first chapter after the prelude. I definitely need more time with this album to
fully ‘analyze’ the narrative aspects and get a full grasp of every song, but I already love many of these
tracks!
The Ghost on the Shore and I Will Be Back One Day are newer favourites for me, especially the former. A
more
contemplative and quieter song, focusing on the loneliness of the protagonist’s journey. I also have a soft
spot for She Lit a Fire, such a cute track that I listen to a lot.
As I just said, I need more time to sit with most of the rest of the album. Maybe it’s too soon to call it a
favourite, but i definitely loved it. I still think I prefer Strange Trails, but that’s no knock on this
record. That just shows that Lord Huron got even better after this, which is frankly incredibly impressive!
I will definitely be returning to this one often.
