LORD HURON
ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 4 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)
April 29, 2021
Lord Huronβs four-part livestream series came to a close last night – a bittersweet ending to a very unique and compelling show. Aliveβ¦ From Whispering Pines episode four (or β426β as the host denotes) featured new renditions of some of the bandβs most notable work, interspersed with host, Tubs Tarbell, reminiscing about the studioβs past.
It has become clear that this seriesβ intention has been to precede a fourth studio album and set the stage for incorporating the new music into Lord Huron’s tangential folklore.
Seemingly, this new record intends to imagine the fictional history of the real Whispering Pines studio, and Alive accomplishes this with its final episode. Specifically, the new track, βI Liedβ, featuring the swooning vocal addition of Allison Ponthier, is claimed to be a song performed at the studioβs inception, originally by βDonny & Midgeβ, though now channeled by Ben Schneider and the aforementioned Ponthier. Fans are treated to a live performance of the new ballad, backdropped by sunset-toned mountains and the members of Lord Huron playing their various instruments in their finest attire.
While the story doesnβt feel incredibly fleshed out overall in this go, the showβs performances keep the momentum up. The folk-pop βCursedβ, from sophomore record Strange Trails, is successfully reimagined as a bluegrass ballad, toned in black & white. Vide Noirβs garage rocker, βAncient Names Part IIβ, is thrust into the 80s with keyboards replacing heavy drums while the lyrics pop up below in full karaoke style. Fan favourite βEnds of the Earthβ & βLa Belle Fleur Sauvageβ are left mostly unchanged for the sake of nostalgia, but both excel as highlights of the night. The most interesting performance, however, is a synth-laden rendition of βWe Went Wildβ. Typically a drum-heavy folk song, this new reimagining turns the track into a dreamy soundscape that breathes entirely new life into it.
Performances like βWe Went Wildβ highlight exactly why Aliveβ¦ From Whispering Pines has managed to be such a treat for the Lord Huron die hards. It has been an opportunity for the band to channel a new form of creativity amidst the pandemic and is a testament to the labelβs confidence in their loyal fanbase. While the first episode remains the best for the sheer fact that the multimedia seemed most well-constructed, there are certainly going to be calls to return to this format in future and, at the very least, a release of these new live renditions of their now large library of tunes. As Tarbell would say, βuntil then, may you live until you die.β
ArtistΒ Links
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 3 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 2 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)
