Loch Lomond

The musical weather in Portland always seems to be sunny. After all, echoes of Seattle are just that as the creative power has shifted a bit south in the Pacific Northwest, with Portland enjoying an absolute plethora of genre-bending bands and musical acts that are constantly exploring new sonic territory.

Loch Lomond is making a name for themselves amidst the incessant buzz, crafting beautiful orchestral pop tunes in the shadow of The Decemberists yet enjoying growing success for themselves. What started as a solo effort for Ritchie Young has turned into a septet that is continuing to mine new ground every time they get together.

Young was kind enough to answer some questions for Stereo Subversion about the trail blazed by The Decemberists, the Portland scene they’re a part of and how they are carving their own initials into the folk music family tree.

SSv: So can we start at the solo beginnings? What began to happen in 2003 in the first place - was Loch Lomond the name of your solo venture?

Ritchie Young: The project was actually called “The Mountains” at the time because I am obsessed with mountains. I thought we would get lost in the mix of an already over-saturated music world with that name. I took the name Loch Lomond off a tape reel that we were using. I don’t know why anyone would name a reel of tape, like one would name a pet, but we did. Loch Lomond started as a solo project and has very slowly grown into a full band that is very close to a democracy.

SSv: How did it build to the current level of multiple performers - was it a slow addition or all at once?

Young: It was very slow. In the beginning stages, we would have friends come in and play. After a while a few folks started just sticking around. Loch Lomond became their number one priority and so on and so forth until our current members were locked in. Loch Lomond is now a blood in, blood out thing. If members try and leave, they all end up having terrible “accidents.”

SSv: You use the word democracy - was that hard to move toward, giving up the control that you had, or was it natural?

Young: Absolutely it was a natural process. I’ve always kept my lyrics as written by me, but the instrumentation gels only after having input from everyone. We have so many different sounds coming together - viola, cello, clarinet, piano, guitar, percussion, etc. Plus, things would get really boring if it was just me all the time. Going on tour with this group is a riot. On one particular tour we ended up having a naked campfire, taking baths together, and had a ‘hit and run’ in Reno; take our group element out of that and it’s almost no fun at all: just a creepy guy at a campfire, a regular bath, and a frustrating car accident…

SSv: What does having so many people allow you to do with musical expression that you couldn’t do before?

Young: We practice without amplification or a PA of any kind. There are a lot of us, but we are patient. We try our best not to step on each others’ toes when we are writing. Everyone in the band is very versatile, and our writing sessions are more like multi-track recording, but in real life. The process is really impressive for me to witness because I am not classically trained, and they all are. When they get rolling, they speak this strange language that I can’t comprehend, and half an hour later we have a fully orchestrated song.

SSv: How does that work out with the rest of the band being classically trained and you are not? Did it originally bring out a bit of insecurity?

Young: Certainly, I think all of us have our demons and insecurities. I have more than my fair share: a major fear of flying, neurotic eating habits, attention deficit disorder, and the list goes on … Back to the music, I think our mix is a good one. I bring something to the table that the other folks in the band can’t, and they certainly are able to refine what I bring.

I think what I bring, having a raw beginning to work with, brings an element of genuine emotion. Of course, having it refined by the more classically trained folks in the band, allows for blending of all the instruments we use and a more dynamic sound, in general. I think, often, the scenario is a bit of me being self-depricating coming to the band with something incredibly rough, and Amanda reassuring me that the song is a good one. She has an amazing talent for hearing developed instrumentals over my nothingness.

SSv: Do you feel you’ve been able to really take advantage of the number or does it feel like there’s still a lot more sonic territory to uncover?

Young: Every time we get together we try to uncover new territory. We are not the kind of band that gets together and just runs through a set. It is always evolving and changing.

SSv: With this being the second effort with Hush Records and third overall, does it feel like LL is finding some footing that it hasn’t before?

Young: Yes, totally. We played for a while where we were just invisible to the world. Chad [Crouch] from Hush came in and changed that for us. There was an immediate change in our visibility. We love Hush Records, they are very real. They do not mislead or blow smoke at all. I hear people complaining about their labels all the time and I cannot relate. Chad is like our collective father. He is a wee bit older than me. Maybe he … Mom, no!

SSv: It seems many speak your name in the same sentence as The Decemberists. Do you think they have helped carved a path for your style of music to a broader audience?

Young: The Decemberists are sort of like grandfathers in a long line of Northwest ancestors. I do think they’ve had the ability to show the Northwest has a much wider appeal on a variety of levels. Although I don’t think we necessarily sound like them, especially live, I do think they’ve helped open the door to more diverse audiences.

SSv: Paper The Walls - can you tell us about these recording sessions?

Young: We recorded half the record with Adam Selzer (Norfolk & Western, M.Ward) at Type Foundry in Portland, OR and the other half in Washington State with Skyler Norwood (Point Junct, WA) at Miracle Lake Studios. We set up live and just went through the songs. We did our best to recreate the live performance and went through the songs in a similar fashion.

SSv: Why did you use two studios?

Young: Schedules are complicated to arrange in Portland. Most people have so many projects going on at any given time, and both studios we used are operated by fellow musicians. Working with studios that are personally familiar with the music scene in Portland, in capacities other than recording, makes our job simpler.

SSv: And how did you end up with the specific producers that you did?

Young: It’s a collaboration and a process every time we record. It just depends on the circumstances. Most of everything is produced by me in conjunction with the talented musicians/studios we’ve worked with. Sometimes I need to take a break from hearing what I’ve recorded and I’ll ask a new pair of ears for an opinion. However, part of the reason I chose the recording studios that I did, is because I’ve heard other albums recorded by each and loved the production value. Both Adam and Skyler were assets to have when it came to producing.

Another massive asset was Peter Broderick (of Efterklang). He’s been in and out of Loch Lomond longer than most in the band. He has a terrific ear for where Loch Lomond needs to go. Beyond Adam, Skyler, and Peter; everyone in the band has an opinion, and they all count; even if at the end of the day, I’m the one who has to decide how the song should sound. Certainly, especially for Paper the Walls,, I aim to have our music sound as close to live as possible, while still sounding slick, of course.

SSv: Is it hard to pull off some arrangements live?

Young: Our live show is, in many ways, better than the records. We pride ourselves on being able to do what we do on our records and even more. It is so easy to go into a studio and lay down 50 tracks. It always leaves me feeling disappointed when I hear a record that is full and lush, and then I go see a band live and it is a stripped-down version of their recording. We go above and beyond our records live.

SSv: You said you go above and beyond in the live setting, but I have a hard time picturing that. The obvious answer is come and see a show for yourself then, but for those who can’t, how do you pull that off?

Young: We have had a lot of positive feedback. I think that’s because of the mix of individuals we currently have. One of the comments that pleases me the most to hear is that people can really tell how much fun we have together when we perform. Jade and Pia (vocals) always perform next to each other, they certainly have a special bond. Laurel (piano) and Dave (bass) tend to be next to each other and also share something special, as do Amanda (viola) and Scott, when he is on clarinet.

I guess we usually set it up so that everyone is around me in pairs and I can feel the love staring at me. We all work hard and play hard together; we often go dancing after practice - soul night is our favorite - or make dinner and experiment with cocktails … we genuinely enjoy each other and it comes out in our live shows. It didn’t occur to me how special that was until others recognized it.

As for hearing us in all our live glory, we’ve had opportunities that have allowed us to play live versions of our songs that are available online. I would say that seeing a live show is the best option, but there are avenues that will get you halfway there. Feel free to check us out on WFMU.

SSv: How important is Portland to your music?

Young: It is hugely important. Portland has the best music in the world right now. There is no music industry here so people compete, in a friendly sort of way, to be the most original and creative, not the most hyped. I love that I can jump on my bike at night and go see my favorite bands play on porches and coffee shops and hear music coming out of every other house I ride by. It truly is an amazing moment in Portland. I know it will not last forever so I am enjoying it while it lasts.

• www.lochlomondmusic.com
• www.myspace.com/lochlomond06

Add to the noise:

Name (required)

Email (will not be published) (required)

URL