Album Review: Erik Lind & The Orchard Release Promising Debut With “Great White North” EP

By: Michael Thomas –

It’s funny that Erik Lind encourages listeners to enjoy his and his band’s first EP “responsibly or irresponsibly.” On the one hand, the EP has a very clean sound – the acoustic guitars always sound warm, the percussion always perfectly crisp. On the other hand, some of the song’s encourage something more than just passive listening – perhaps a bit of stomping or clapping, or maybe chanting.

And though the EP was released at the end of September of this year, it lends itself very well to the current season, and not just because the EP has such a name. It’s another “warm” EP that will make you feel better should the weather outside be frightful.

Partly recorded at Montreal’s The Treatment Room, which bursts with notable clientele including Plants & Animals, Stars, and Wintersleep, the EP opener, which is also the title track, immediately sets the tone for the rest of the EP with an opening lyric of “This winter’s got me in a chokehold.” It makes way for a smooth blend of instrumentals, most notable the acoustic guitars and the percussion.

Joined by guitarist Mikael Tobias, bassist Lisa Dee Perusse, and drummer Michel Aubinais which creates “The Orchard,” “If We Knew Then” feels fully fleshed out, with the regular instruments being assisted by a smattering of horns and later dual vocals. “War Outside” shows that the band doesn’t always have to be gentle – there are some thrilling parts where the band amps up their folk-rock sound a little further to the rock side.

“Black Eyed Heart” is the EP’s standout track, featuring a perfect blend of emotion and suspenseful buildup. The song cultivates a great energy first by using two lines of guitar and eventually adding drums and the repetition of the phrase “we can try.”

“Coming After the Wrong Man” goes a little bit softer, and is perhaps a little reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel in its sound. There is an emphasis on acoustic guitar and harmonies. Finally, there’s “The Kick,” a shorter song which hints that Erik Lind & the Orchard definitely have more tricks up their sleeve. The mainly acoustic song gains great power as the end leads to anthemic stomping, clapping and shouting.

With Lind’s bittersweet songwriting and the band’s strong ear for catchy melodies and monumental guitar hooks, this EP is a promising debut for this Montreal band. The tracks show that they are willing to get loud if they need to and aren’t afraid to experiment when necessary.

Essential Track: “Black Eyed Heart”