Norwegian band HOUSE BY THE LAKE has been an ongoing venture since 2009, initially the creative vehicle for composer and musician Sondre Strandskog Arnesen, but in 2013 this project developed into a full fledged band effort. “Woodlands” is their debut album, and was released in the fall of 2014 through Norwegian label Apollon Records.
The recurring facet about the material on this album is that they all comes across as songs written for or developed from a singer/songwriter tradition, compositions that can and possibly have at some point been performed by one person playing acoustic guitar and doing vocals. Most of the songs have been developed quite a bit beyond that on this album, but most if not all of them comes across as creations built upon that specific foundation. They have ended up in, roughly, three different categories, in their finalized forms.
The dominant aspect of this album are songs that by and large can be placed in the Americana or possibly even Country tradition. Layered acoustic and electric guitars, gentle hovering organ details, pedal steel and a subtle but distinct nasal type lead vocals the details that points rather firmly in that tradition. Most of these numbers are fairly delicate affairs in part or in whole, and do come across as fairly ready made for certain types of radio broadcasts.
On a lesser scale there are compositions with a bit more of a generic folk orientation. Revolving around many of the same elements, but without the archetypal US sounding instrument details and vocal approach, arguably with a wee bit of Irish folk music traditions brought in by the guitars. These songs also have a slight tendency to be somewhat firmer overall, more solid in presentation and execution, although that might also be due to me being somewhat more fond of material of this kind myself.
The minor aspect here is the one song that, at least to my ears, comes across as most removed from any specific folk music tradition, which is the concluding track That Great Ocean. Book-ended by a frail guitar and vocals section, this song grows into a haunting, emotional laden atmospheric affair, reminding me ever so slightly of Madrugada’s debut album, more toned down in instrumentation and arrangements but with a stronger emotional impact. The delicate opening and end sequence emphasizing the emotional impact of this one, at least for me.
“Woodlands” is a short and sweet production, clocking in at around 36 minutes, and should be an excellent find to those fond of the gentler side of folk-oriented indie rock presumably. A certain affection for the kind of music categorized as Americana will be needed, but also a taste for music that reach beyond that specific turf. If you can recognize yourself in that description, and the words indie and folk combined is something that sounds interesting to you, House by the Lake is probably a band you will enjoy.
My rating: 78/100
