Loch Lomond – Little Me Will Start A Storm

Every Scottish review of this record will doubtlessly refer to the recognisable moniker of this sextet from Portland, Oregon, but with this, their first release on Chemikal Underground, the connection seems virtually impossible to ignore. Loch Lomond are no strangers to Scotland's musical landscape – the album’s opener, Blue Lead Fences, was previously released by Edinburgh based Song, by Toad Records, who also put out their 2010 EP Night Bats.

Having toured the States with The Decemberists, clear comparisons between theirs and the sound of Colin Meloy’s troupe frequently abound. Yet strikingly confident, often joyous, moments in tracks like I Love Me and instrumental Water Bells, stir reminiscences of new labelmates Zoey Van Goey. Furthermore, you might swear the folky arrangements of Blood Bank were by Broken Records. Perhaps these are merely the results of shared influence, but within the context of their adoption these elements appear more prominent. Small world.