Lorna - London’s Leaving Me

by Dave Goodwin

published: 12 / 8 / 2015

Label: Words On Music
Format: CD

intro

Meticulous indie-pop on fifth album from critically-acclaimed Nottingham-based sextet, Lorna

I know I am being biased again, but who can blame me? There is a plethora of talent in and around the region of my home city of Nottingham and, to be honest, always has been. So it comes as no surprise to hear that Lorna, another band to come from Nottingham, have released their fifth album on the Minneapolis-based label, Words On Music. Lorna formed in the late 1990s, and have drawn comparisons with Teenage Fanclub, Stereolab, Yo La Tengo and the Velvet Underground. As well as their previous four full-length albums, several EPs and singles, they have also appeared on many compilations. Their fourth album ‘Heart of Wire’ was released two years ago to much critical acclaim, and they have performed with acts such as the Psychedelic Furs, Neil Halstead (Slowdive), Evan Dando, Mark Gardener (Ride) and Six. By Seven. They also took their considerable talents abroad when they toured Spain in 2004 and the US West Coast in August 2005. In more recent times, they have taken on a short series of theatre dates with their own Static Pattern Chamber Orchestra. The band consist of Sharon Cohen-Rolfe (vocals, keyboards, percussion), Matthew Harrison (flute, guitar, percussion), Mark Rolfe (vocals, clarinet, guitar, percussion), Andrew Bullock (vocals, guitar, banjo), Rein Ove Sikveland: (viola) and Madeline Leverton (violin). If you've spotted the link - ten points to you - this new album finds the sextet, which includes the unmistakable voices of husband-and-wife songwriting team Mark Rolfe and Sharon Cohen-Rolfe, serving up another generous helping of East Midlands indie-pop. The first single to come from 'London's Leaving Me' is ‘Wayne Mills’, which is reminiscent of Camera Obscura with its jangly guitars, analog synths and Mediterranean melodies. The album, however, opens with ‘Like Alastair Sim’, which, a ballad of optimism, incorporates strings, bells, and sparse electronics. ‘Smothered In Hugs’, a cover, appears in the middle and is a marked contrast to the atonal lo-fi buzz of the Guided By Voices’ original. The end comes too soon with the Matt Harrison written ‘You, Me, and the Holy Ghost’, a daydream that captures Sharon Cohen-Rolfe at her best. 'In Amber' is my favourite from this new offering. It opens with a single guitar intro and the Rolfes in harmonious action, before some wonderfully melancholic violin helps to raise its pace. Lorna are touring and are a very watchable act if you get the chance to see them. Marvellous!

Track Listing:-

1 Like Alastair Sim
2 Wayne Mills
3 Atlases
4 In Amber
5 Smothered in Hugs
6 London's Leaving Me
7 Bigger Than Sound (And Greater Than Us)
8 St. Mary
9 You, Me, And the Holy Ghost

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/pages/LornaUK/11233842989
http://www.lornatheband.com/
https://twitter.com/lornatheband

Label Links:-

http://www.words-on-music.com/
https://www.facebook.com/wordsonmusic
https://twitter.com/WordsOnMusic
https://www.youtube.com/user/shouldfish

interviews

Interview (2013)

Ben Howarth chats to Mark Rolfe, the front man with underrated Nottingham-based band Lorna about his band's unusual combination of influences and their recent fourth album, 'Heart on Wire'

Interview (2005)