| Lewis & Clarke | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Genres | Post-Folk Neo-Baroque |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels | La Société Expéditionnaire |
| Website | lewisandclarkemusic.com |
| Members | |
| Lou Rogai Eve Miller Shane O'hara Ian O'hara Tom Asselin |
|
Lewis & Clarke is the nom-de-plume of Lou Rogai and collaborators. The name is a reference to the fellowship and correspondence between C. S. Lewis and Arthur C. Clarke, not the 19th century explorers. The moniker has been described as metaphor for journey on many levels, including musical, spiritual, and physical. Rogai is a composer/musician/songwriter as well as founder of La Société Expéditionnaire, a record label "dedicated to exposing the wild and/or fragile music of colleagues".
Contents |
The most recent musical styling of Lewis & Clarke can be described as new-folk, avant chamber folk, or neo baroque, while the first 2003 self-release Bright Light EP represents a reflective, dusty Americana sound. In 2003, MAGNET magazine introduced Rogai as "a gifted newcomer". Lewis & Clarke's debut full length Bare Bones and Branches was released in 2003, by Delboy records in Europe. This was supported by a short tour of the Benelux, and the album was met with critical acclaim. A live Lewis & Clarke track surfaced on a compilation issued by PIAS entitled Duyster (a "best of" compilation from Belgian National Radio's program of the same name), along with Joanna Newsom, Mogwai, and Cat Power.
New music was initiated with Dave Ulrich, Eve Miller (Rachel's, Matt Pond PA) and Russell Higbee (Man Man). During this process, The US version of Bare Bones and Branches (alternate takes, mixes, tracks and artwork) was released in 2005 by Summersteps, the micro-label most noted for their Jandek tribute albums (Jandek himself expressed gratitude in a handwritten letter for particular tracks on Down in a Mirror Vol. II, including Lewis & Clarke's cover of 'Nancy Sings').
La Société Expéditionnaire released Live on WPRB as live vinyl-only 12" EP in the Fall of 2006. This recording captures the chemistry of Rogai, Ulrich and Higbee live on Princeton Radio (without Miller, who was healing from an injury), and prepared listeners for Blasts of Holy Birth. It sets an ambiance including various chimes, vocals, new humans, eastern drones, harp, guitar, banjo, piano, percussion, and other whims, including the Expeditionary Grace Singers, who have yet to appear elsewhere.
Bare Bones and Branches, originally released in the fall is called "The perfect Autumnal album" by the Associated Press, while No Depression cites it as "A whisper of an album, lovely without being precious, moody without being beleaguering.” One can begin to identify patterns of Lewis & Clarke as an organic, ever changing work, with Blasts of Holy Birth being a cornerstone in the evolution. Released in May 2007, it dovetails the symbolic nature of spring and birth, and represents themes found in a Taoist text called Secret of the Golden Flower (also the opening track). Pitchfork calls it "Eight tracks of delicate Beauty" and The Onion's A/V Club notes: "Lou Rogai finally puts the lame-ass freak-folk label to rest by making an album that's as grounded in real life as it is sublimated in ether....Rogai has a gift for speaking plainly while tonguing poetry, and his meditations on life cycles and pastoral philosophy blossom and collapse with organic grace."
After Rogai and Miller, as a duo, toured the Eastern US with Bat For Lashes (UK), Lewis & Clarke closed out 2007 with a performance at MoMA NYC, and toured again in spring of 2008. One year later, Rogai & Co., including Tom Asselin, and brothers Ian and Shane O'Hara, deliver Light Time; a limited edition 12” vinyl record. In Spring 2009 they supported Bat For Lashes for US dates once again. 2010 appearances included the Truck America Festival in Big Indian, NY.