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Swim in the lakes

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 10/29/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Elephant 6 bands are known for being enchanting and inventive. And Great Lakes, a part of the "extended family," does not disappoint with their self-titled debut. With gently echoing vocals and some sweetle folky pop overtones, it's a charming little listen.



The tone is set with "Storming," a melodious pop song with a folk heart and a hint of piano and strings. That sound carries over into several other songs like the horn-accented "Easy Life" and the banjo-ish "Come Home and Come True." But Great Lakes avoids the pitfalls of monotony with the organ in "Become the Ship," the gentle piano-pop in "Banana," and the shimmering psychedelic spurts of "Parachutes."



Great Lakes is one of those bands that doesn't get as much attention as they deserve. The brainchild of Dan Donahue, Ben Crum, and Jame Huggins, this band gets support from Elephant 6 band members from Apples in Stereo, Elf Power and Neutral Milk Hotel. And the result is some rousingly enjoyable pop music.



James Huggins's vocals don't ever rise too far above the music. In fact, it's hard to really separate his vocals from the music -- they're shrouded in echoes and a little robotic sounding. Listen carefully, and you can discern songwriting that is merely okay at worst (the lackluster "Storming") and excellent at best ("I dreamed you were a parachute/I had to cut you loose/(I left you there regrettably)/you let me down gracefully...")



Occasionally the sound is mostly acoustic, like the harmonica-and-banjo of "Come Home and Come True," which only has a few electronic wavers. But elsewhere, electric guitar and restrained percussion are augmented by electronic wavers, squiggles and sputters. And the ethereal keyboard solo in "Banana," with a bit of guitar mixed in, is enchanting.



Great Lakes's self-titled debut is a great collection of sweet pop music, and not something to forget in a hurry, like a sweet dream early in the morning."