Lorien

Nashville, Tennessee’s Lórien like to share. They share a musically fertile hometown with countless other monumental big-name acts. They share a name with 5 other known bands with styles ranging from goth metal to progressive rock. They share a dynamic sound with high-flying alternative prodigies Muse that will forever categorize them. And it’s not that sharing is necessarily a bad thing. However overdone this Muse-y sound is, this year’s Lórien full length Esque is still all about gigantic passages and glorious choruses that are guaranteed crowd-pleasers.

“The Snake Or the Charmer” is perhaps the album’s centerpiece, scornfully advising the intended recipient of its lyrics to, “Stay the hell away,” amidst its beautiful harmonic flair. Chief vocalist Kaleb Jones’ towering delivery is arrogant, seducing, and altogether laudable. The chemistry between the vocals and tightly produced instrumental sections is remarkably strong, allowing hypnotizing numbers like “The Snake Or the Charmer” and “Pick It Up Slow” to exist.

Missteps are held at a minimum on Esque, provided the been-there-done-that factor is overlooked. We are given “Do The Regret,” however, which drips painfully of pretentious character and simply tries too hard to keep up with the rest of the album’s mystical overtone. “Tell the boys and girls to start learning the steps / Come on, come on let’s all do the regret,” is the band’s attempted connection between remorse and the dance motif laid over another gorgeous harmonic melody, but the effort runs sour and the well-constructed verse is wasted.

Some avid rummaging needs to be done to find fault in the remaining 11 tracks. Opponents of the genre’s climbing harmonies and epic instrumentation will likely write Esque off as “simply boring” as Lórien most certainly shy away from bringing anything novel to the table. Yet as musical history teaches, sometimes the best comes not from evolving but by simply perfecting what already is. Esque can hardly be called “the best,” but the band’s knack for sharing (or borrowing for that matter) musical ideas most definitely works for the better here.

--Matthew Tsai - Decoymusic.com

Esque is refined, accessible indie rock with a touch of post-hardcore - songs like the single "Sowing Bad Seeds" and standout "Make The Deadeye Miss" dwell in their watery bliss, like Lydia or Elbow but rocked out. Letting the lyrics fall back in favor of the music, I can hear these guys eventually making something like Thrice's The Alchemy Index. Until the acoustic closer "A Mess Needs A Room," however, there is very little emotion...but instead, Esque lets you get lost. We all need that sometimes. - The Tune

The members of Lorien have officially graduated from dabbling musicians to a state of professionalism since the release of their debut full-length, titled Esque. The album’s release at 12th and Porter last February was the most ceremonious for the band thus far, and with good reason. Esque is deliberate, ethereal and possesses a clarity in sound and production uncommonly found in a debut album.

I don’t know if the guys and girl of Lorien have been hanging out with Tim Burton lately, but all 12 tracks share a certain dark and haunting quality that runs throughout. “Do the Regret” is a creeping, keyboard-driven lullaby in which frontman Kaleb Jones laments amidst female backing vocals. “Make the Dead Eye Miss” opens with a guitar riff that’s just so Foo Fighters (funny, considering lead guitarist Chase Gregory bears an eerie resemblance to Dave Grohl) and is quickly overlapped with Cara Pollock’s contemplative keyboard melody.

“Measurements” brings to mind a youthful rendition of Coldplay’s “Clocks.” Sometimes a faint trace of Fall Out Boy or Hawthorne Heights can be detected within the tracks, but ultimately Esque’s lunar Coldplay melodies combined with guitar riffs reminiscent of early Jimmy Eat World protect it from the clutches of emo. Not to mention the alternating male and female vocals on tracks like “Make the Dead Eye Miss” and “Sowing Bad Seeds” that would do The Postal Service or Owl City proud. All in all Esque is a melodic gem, just as luminous as the vibrant collage of color swatches on the album cover (designed by Gregory). If Lorien’s 2006 EP The Ghost in the Parlor was the band searching for its sound, then Esque declares it found.
-Jessica Pace - Thedelimagazine.com

"Featuring clever lyrics and catchy, sometimes haunting melodies, Lórien might just be your new favorite band." - Fleeingthescene.com

First things first. This band should not be as good as they are for how long they’ve been together. Not even two years into existence at this point and Lórien have managed to craft an EP that lies somewhere in between the quirkiness of Gatsbys American Dream and the feel-good pop of Phantom Planet.

The Ghost In The Parlor is sure to be the record that everyone scrambles to find after the band blows up with a full-length release on a label. (It’s inconceivable to me that this band is unsigned.) There’s a certain mystique and mystery about this record; you immediately sing along to the songs without knowing what draws you in, like falling in love with someone you don’t know yet.

“Praise The Stage And Love Only The Saved” gets right down to what this band is about: crafting meaningful songs that beg to sneak into the Top 25 Most Played section of your iTunes. As soon as the song breaks with Kaleb Jones’ falsetto melody, you know you’re in for a ride. The chorus creates a beautiful kind of tension between the chords being played by guitarist Chase Gregory and keyboardist Cara Pollock, something not found in your average instant-gratification pop band.

Following the opener is “You Got Me Down” which is a bit more direct and driving. Drummer Thomas Doeve pounds out a solid four on the floor for the chorus to support the rest of the group. The low-fi drum break in the bridge is an awesome production choice and I tip my hat to producer Andy Hunt for making that work.

Just when you think you have this band’s sound completely figured out, “Empty Words” is the musical curve ball the group throws to keep you guessing. Showcasing a heavy, cutting guitar sound and an open, expansive chorus reminiscent of Coldplay a la “A Rush Of Blood To The Head”, this song shows diversity and a kind of maturity that isn’t necessarily asked for, but is more than welcome.

Lórien have managed to come out with an EP in The Ghost In The Parlor that exceeds the expectations you never even had of them. “Catchy” doesn’t do justice and seems to minimize the sound of this band. There’s a real depth to this record that is near impossible to find in a first release, or any release for that matter. With a debut EP this good I’m actually a bit terrified that I would be let down by the sophomore release, but I’m more than willing to wait and find out. To any label representatives that may be reading this: SIGN THIS BAND. - Thedailychorus.com

"Very catchy stuff, take the time to listen to them." - buzzgrinder.com

"[A] tight imaginitative band--inspired songwriting; creative production. Lorien is real talent making real music." - Dan Keen