LOST IN THE TREES – ALL ALONE IN AN EMPTY HOUSE

Originally release in 2008 as a longish EP, All Alone in an Empty House has been given a polish, a buff, had a few tracks added – voila the 2010 version. Originally Lost in the Trees was the lone project of Ari Pickering, but it is now the fullest of bands, resplendent with bustling string players who flesh out Pickerings neo-Classical folk pop in all its glory. It is worth noting a this point that Pickering is a trained classical composer, who has written his own symphony before branching off into the Trees. Mvt. I and Mvt. II demonstrate these roots, flowing orchestral instrumentals that punctuate the album and tempt one towards exploring his symphonic work. But his pop sensibilities don’t suffer by comparison, as the gorgeous title track melds his angsty, high-strung vocals with those delicious strings; and A Walk Around the Lake uses all the cinematic drama that strings can bring to an otherwise simple acoustic strum, the combination intoxicating. Like a walk in the Appalation woods with Woody Guthre and a string orchestra, what a great picnic destination.

*** 1/2