By Ken Paulson
–I was sorry to miss Hey Marseilles at its show at the High Watt in Nashville. Lines We Trace, the Seattle band’s new album is ornate and layered, fueled in part by viola, cello and keyboards. That can’t be easy to reproduce in a club.
The immediate comparisons to Hey Marseilles are the Decemberists and Lumineers, but the ambitious and often soaring arrangements of fun. also come to mind.
Loss and yearning run throughout the album, and Matt Bishop’s vocals underscore the melancholy. Yet the album is not somber or sad. There’s a compelling flow to it, rewarding repeated listening.
Highlights include “Heart Beats,” “Hold Your Head” and “Bright Stars Burning,” which is currently available as a free download on Amazon.
Follow Sun209 on Twitter @Sun209.com.