Unless you’re a meteorologist or a storm-chaser, when you start talking about atmosphere, you’re usually not referring to the literal air we breathe. It’s more likely that you’re referring to the vibe of your workplace, how a painting establishes the ambiance in your living room, or the general mood of you and your friends as you’re hanging out together one afternoon. Atmosphere is more about how you’re feeling inside or how you’re digesting and interacting with the world. And few mediums of expression are as effective at creating atmosphere as that of music, whether it’s music to start a revolution by or music by which to make babies - the tunes that stream through our ears go a long way towards establishing the soundtrack for our lives.
And with their most recent release, Nine Lucid Dreams, the dreamy duo Two Loons for Tea have crafted an album destined to fill every canal in your ears and every room in your residence with their lush beauty. Seattle denizens Sarah Scott and Jonathan Kochmer travel to great lengths as they explore the far reaches of the band’s sonic palette, all while centering their explorations on solid ambient pop sensibilities. Recorded primarily at Willie Nelson’s Pedernales Studios, Sarah and Jonathan were able to blissfully and artfully merge the temperament of their laid-back Northwest home with the aura of the rolling, wide-open spaces that define the Texas Hill Country. From the opening strains of “Sunset Room” until the last notes of “Stand On Your Head” waft into the distance, the listener becomes spell-bound as intricate folk-guitar work, brushed drums, keyboard fills, wandering (yet measured) bass lines, and Sarah’s voice work their aural magic. The record’s standout section is the triumvirate of “Strongest Man in the World,” “Marietta,” and “Eyebrows are Nature’s Makeup,” where powerful storytelling aligns itself, every ebb to every flow, with excellent musicianship.
So, if you’re on the lookout for an album that was created in two of the more stunning atmospheres on this continent and that is able to create an equally awe-inspiring atmosphere in your neck of the woods, then you’d be well served to obtain yourself a copy of Nine Lucid Dreams from Two Loons for Tea.
--Adam P. Newton
