Reviewed by: Maddie Lloyd
Spook the Herd is the fourth studio album by indie rock band Lanterns on the Lake. They are a five-member group originating from Newcastle, United Kingdom. I previously had never heard of this band before looking for new albums that had been released lately. Upon listening to this album, I very much enjoy the band and their sound. Something that really stuck out to me about this band is the fact that they use several different instruments than just guitar, bass, and drums in their music. They also use piano, violin, viola, and cello. For me it was a very refreshing sound coming out from a band today.
When I listen to this album, I immediately am brought to a summer night staring up at the stars. I imagine their concerts would have a more intimate feel then the punk rock concerts that I am used to and that is something that I am definitely interested in experiencing.
My personal favorite song off the album was “Before They Excavate”. I feel like the emotion in Hazel Wilde’s voice is the most passionate in this song out of all the songs on the album. I love how during the chorus the instruments are drawn back and then come in heavier in the second half of the chorus. I also really enjoy the fact that the song has a lot of quieter sections that build up into more powerful sections. The piano is my favorite part of the entire song. I love how at certain parts of the song everything else stops except for the faintest piano riff.
The final song on the album is “A Fitting End”. This song has a very intimate feel to it. It is different feel than the strong start to the album that “When it All Comes True” portrays. I feel like it was a very beautiful way to end the album.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this album. I honestly am always open for hearing new music, but I did not think that I would like this album as much as I did. The album is completely different from the music I usually jam to, but I fell in love with it after just one listen. I do not listen to a lot of indie music, but this album gave me the urge to jump more into the genre and see what else there is that I would enjoy. I would strongly recommend this album to anybody who enjoys the heavy use of instruments in music and those who like a more intimate sound when it comes to music.