LanternaCountry of origin:U.S. Type of music generally:Instrumental ambient rock Status:Most recent release, Backyards (2015) See also:The Lanterna Home Page Comparisons:The Moon Seven Times without the vocals is about the closest thing, but this is highly individual work. Covers/own material:Own General comments:Henry Frayne's guitar is more evocative than most songs with lyrics. Instrumentals that speak. His guitar work is one of the most evocative instrumental work I've heard, and he is one of the few instrumentalists that I can listen to and be wholly absorbed by without longing for vocals. To my ear, Henry is one of the (if not the) most evocative guitarists playing now. No one can create a entire landscape of sound with just a guitar like Henry can. (Neile) Comments about live performance:I caught Lanterna doing an in-store show. It was a livingroomy kinda thing, considering how casual they were and that there were maybe a dozen people listening. I liked the music and got the CD. More than anything else, it reminded me of Phil Manzanera's work with 801. (I was kinda put off by their use of a taped drum track, but it was understandable considering they were touring in one car.) (jzitt@humansystems.com) Recommended first album:Any—all are wonderful Recordings:
LanternaRelease info:1995—Parasol Records—CD 013; 1998—reissued by Rykodisc Availability:The Ryko version is widely available Ecto priority:Highly recommended Group members:Henry Frayne—guitar and voice Comments:There are three versions of this thus far: a limited edition cassette and a cd first issued by Parasol Records, then reissued by Rykodisc—all have exquisite artwork (and packaging in the case of the cassette and Parasol versions). This is the only instrumental music that I play frequently—and I play it very frequently. In the years since I first got the cassette and then the cd version, I have heard this hundreds of times and it never fails to engage me. It's hard to describe: it's as though the music creates landscapes. The first cut ("Silent Hills") has a spaghetti Western music ambience, but it's gorgeous (you may have heard a snippet of this on NPR in between news segments); on the second ("Down by the Seine") Henry actually sings (fairly low in the mix)—he has a strong voice that plays against the overall sound very well (I'd love to hear more vocals from him); next is "Turbine" a driven tune that sounds rather like its title, with an ominous background speaking voice; the quiet and deliberate "1985" contrasts strongly. And those are just the first four cuts. Well worth multiple listens. (Neile) scenic/lanterna (split single)Release info:1997—Independent Project Records, P.O. Box 1033, Sedona, AZ 86339-1033, U.S.A./Parasol Records, 905 South Lynn Street, Urbana, IL 61801, U.S.A., 217-344-8609—IP 058cd/PAR-031 cd Availability:Mail order Ecto priority:Highly recommended for Lanterna fans Group members:Henry Frayne—guitar Guest artists:Brian Hunt—bass guitar Comments:Great to have more Lanterna—I never get tired of this, it's dreamy yet focused. I admit, though, that I don't listen to the Scenic part of the single. The two Lanterna songs remind me how wonderful it was to hear the band live, and how brilliant a guitarist Henry Frayne is. He creates emotional soundscapes like no one else. Heaven. Oh, yes, the packaging on this disc is gorgeous, too. (Neile) Elm StreetRelease info:2001—Badman Recording co.—BRCD-986 Availability:Wide in U.S. Ecto priority:Highly recommended Group members:Henry Frayne—guitar, A.R.P. synthesizer Produced by:Adam Schmitt and Henry Frayne Comments:More wonderful Henry Frayne guitar—I love his sound! As Dave Dixon says above, this is emotionally charged instrumental work, which comes dramatically alive for me, far more so than most instrumental music. Unusual and alive. Highly recommended. (Neile) SandsRelease info:2002—Badman Recording—BRCD 978 Availability:Wide in U.S. Ecto priority:Highly recommended Group members:Henry Frayne—guitar, vocals, claves Produced by:Henry Frayne and Steve Day Comments:Another strong and beautiful album of evocative instrumental music. This is probably the most frequently played instrumental album at our house. Highly recommended. (Neile) HighwaysRelease info:2004—Badman Recording—BRCD 963 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Highly recommended Produced by:Mike Brosco & Henry Frayne Comments:Always lovely. (Neile) Desert OceanRelease info:2006—Jemez Mountain—JMD-946 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Highly recommended Group members:Henry Frayne—guitar, voice & A.R.P. synthesizer Guest artists:Eric Gebow—drums Produced by:Mike Brosco and Henry Frayne Comments:Desert Ocean strongly reminds me of Henry Frayne's guitar work with The Moon Seven Times. The songs even seem more traditionally structured, as if they could easily have vocals on top of them. This is not to say that they sound lacking as they are. They're driving and engaging, a great listen. (JoAnn Whetsell) Further info:Write Lanterna at P.O. Box 205, Champaign, IL 61824, U.S.A., or email Henry Frayne. Thanks to JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.
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