98. Lord Huron - ‘Lonesome Dreams’ + Durango

Lord Huron - ‘Lonesome Dreams’ + Durango

Ingredients: 1 1/2 ounces tequila, 1 1/2 ounces grapefruit juice, 1 teaspoon orgeat syrup, spring water, mint sprigs for garnish.

Mixing Instructions: Shake with ice in a shaker and strain into an old-fashioned glass. Fill with spring water and garnish with mint sprigs.

Notes: The first time I saw the shadowy desert dreamscape depicted on the cover of Lord Huron’s latest album, 'Lonesome Dreams' it reminded me of something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.  Finally it hit me, Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s ‘The Little Prince’.  Saint-Exupery, the French aristocrat, writer and aviator, tells the story of a young prince traveling the Earth meeting various creatures who offer him wisdom along the way.  This wandering spirit is what Lord Huron encapsulates within the opening moments of the first song, “Ends of the Earth”,

Oh, there’s an island where all things are silent
I’m gonna whistle a tune
Oh, there’s a desert that size can’t be measured
I’m gonna count all the dunes

The entire album is the philosophic ramblings of a sojourner with seemingly no place to rest his head and no one he can trust.  The folksy jangling of guitars and echo-y choral harmonies give a nod to old Western flicks, but underneath it all is a very addictive tropical current — something band leader Benji Schneider has explained in several interviews as the result of his love for old Calypso music.  While Lord Huron has a blend of tobacco uniquely their own, their music will undoubtedly find a welcome home with fans of Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket and Bon Iver.

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