Presidential Review: Loch Lomond -- "Paper the Walls"

Band: Loch Lomond
Album: Paper the Walls
Rank: John F. Kennedy

As I was typing away this morning on my YASR musings and thinking about where to take this review, my Grandma asked me “what on earth was I doing.” I said “I’m working on a review of an album by a group called Loch Lomond…you know, like Loch Ness but different.”

“Loch Lomond? They must be from Scotland” she said.

“No, they are actually from Portland” I said. Granny didn’t think that was a very good thing…only bands from Scotland should be able to be named Loch Lomond.” At the end she added “I’ve been to Loch Lomond you know.”

As she is from England it is not that surprising…and yet there seems to be some kind of connection here that I don’t normally find in reviewing new bands.

The real Loch Lomond is located about 15 miles north of Glasgow, Scotland and is the second largest loch in Scotland [after the famous Loch Ness]. The band hales from Oregon and creates a melancholy baroque pop that should not be ignored. Besides the fairly obvious comparisons to Sufjan Stevens, Belle & Sebastian, and The Decemberists, I hear the sort of intensity in their songs that made bands like Joy Division, Interpol, and The Smiths famous.

Loch Lomond -- Field Report

Loch Lomond -- Stripe II
Both tracks are from Paper the Walls.

P.S. Loch Lomond have a local show here in Seattle on April Fools Day at Chop Suey. You can buy tickets here.