Le Loup Albums (2)
What The Critics Say
A few things have changed since The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations' Millennium General Assembly's release, not the least of which is the addition of four new members to Le Loup's lineup (Christian Ervin, Michael Ferguson, Robby Sahm, and Jim Thomson). What was once a spare, introspective solo project has turned into a lush, outgoing group effort, and it results in Le Loup's most fully realized, not to mention celebratory, work to date. Sophisticated but not stuffy, ambitious but rarely self-indulgent, Family offers an example of the stuff that can go right on a second release. Family features some of Le Loup's most pop-oriented work to date, especially on a track like "Beach Town" -- a haunting, gritty deconstruction of a surf song. This isn't to say that Le Loup have compromised their tendency to experiment on this album -- far from it. Like The Throne, Family is rich with bells and whistles -- there's a lot of textured looping, overdubbed vocals, distortion, and reverb. The main difference here is in Family's generous array of organic instruments, particularly in the form of hand drums, tambourines, bells, handclaps, and rattles. Granted, there are times when this makes the album feel like a night at the drum circle (particularly at the end of "Forgive Me"), but for the most part it adds a warmth and glimmer to Le Loup's sound that was missing in their earlier work. Much of Family has a prayerful feel to it; there's a lot of chanting, especially on "Go East" (which, between the choir-like vocals and banjo flourishes, sounds practically Sufjan Stevens-esque). All the chanting and the organic instrumentation give Family a suggestion of the esoteric 1960s; the album's opening track, "Saddle Mountain," has hints of the Incredible String Band and Pentangle. Family shows that Le Loup have really come into their own since the release of their 2007 debut. ~ Margaret Reges, All Music Guide
'The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations' Millennium General Assembly'
Release Date 1/1/2007
Tracks 12
Label Talitres
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Although The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations' Millennium General Assembly is billed as Le Loup's debut, it's technically a solo effort by frontman Sam Simkoff, who recorded these tracks in his bedroom during a lengthy period of post-college anxiety. As a result, fans of Le Loup's live performances will find this album to be markedly different, from the number of instruments used to the softer dynamics of each track. The Nations' Millennium General Assembly largely relies on synths, banjo, drum machines, and Simkoff's vocals, all of which are stacked together to create a sort of Sufjan-approved computer symphony. It's a one-man show that uses repetition to its advantage, with each song slowly growing from a ripple to a sonic swell. And while such material sounds best in a live setting, where Le Loup's seven members can collectively flesh out each song, this collection of bedroom recordings is nevertheless eccentric and engaging. Simkoff flits between the earthy sounds of his banjo and the programmed, experimental bleeps of his keyboards, linking the two camps together with lyrics inspired by Dante's Inferno. There are cantos, recollections of dreams, and odes to the heavens, all delivered by a choir of multi-tracked Simkoffs in a manner that's both grand and intimate. In fact, intimacy may be the album's strongest suit, seeing as the band's expanded lineup may never be able to reach such a quiet dynamic again. The Nations' Millennium General Assembly may serve as a precursor to Le Loup's live, bombastic sound, but it's also an enjoyable look at the band's frontman, his considerable capabilities, and the initial melodies that set everything in motion. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
