Let's Build a Roof

by Lake

Overview

The indie pop collective from Olympia known as LAKE released one of 2008's most enjoyable records made by an indie pop collective with Oh, the Places We'll Go. In fact, it was just plain enjoyable, filled with soulful jams and quietly happy tunes perfect for summertimes. The 2009 follow-up, Let's Build a Roof, is less cheery and laid-back and more experimental and melancholy. The change isn't drastic; it's not like they've become Battles or signed to Tzadik. More like they've loosened up their songwriting some and added a few more instrumental colors to their playbook, more sonic twists and turns. The bandmembers still split songwriting and lead vocal duties, mainly between Eli Moore and Ashley Eriksson with help from Lindsay Schief, but they all seem to be on the same page stylistically. Maybe the best way to explain the stylistic shift is by looking at album artwork. On Places it was a cute and simple illustration, and the band's sound matched that. Here, they sound like the kind of band that would have an embroidered-looking cover and paint it on what appears to be a headboard. And then take it out into an actual lake. An indie pop jam band, in other words. Pastoral chamber jam, that is, with off-kilter horn arrangements, thickly weaved production (courtesy of Karl Blau), and mysterious songs. Indeed, very few of the tracks this time out are as easy to follow and love as Places' "Blue Ocean Blue" or its title track, but -- and this is an important qualifier -- they are as quietly effective if you give them a chance to sink. It's easy to damn a record by calling it a grower, but Let's Build a Roof truly does become better the more often you listen to it, as the melodies grow like vines and the richness of the sound begins to resonate fully. It's an important step forward from a band who could have easily made the same record over and over, but instead chose to take some chances. This kind of artistic growth should be applauded, especially when the results are as interesting as they are on Let's Build a Roof. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	04/19/2024
Label:	K. RECORDS
UPC:	0789856121311

Album Credits

Performance Credits

LAKE   Primary Artist
Ashley Eriksson   Bass,Elka,Drums,Organ,Piano,Cornet,Vocals,Celeste,Kalimba,Timpani,Trumpet,Keyboards,Wurlitzer,Percussion,Tambourine,Choir/Chorus,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Eli Moore   Melodica,Keyboards,Wurlitzer,Percussion,Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background),Bass,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Vocals
Gabe Will   Violin
Kelson Coughlin   Marimba
Markly Morrison   Bass,Drums,Organ,Guitar,Celeste,Marimba,Synthesizer,Piano (Electric),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Andrew Dorsett   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background),Guitar (12 String Electric),Bass,Elka,Drums,Organ,Piano,Vocals,Pianette,Keyboards,Wurlitzer,Percussion,Synthesizer,Choir/Chorus
Adam Forest Oelsner   Bass,Guitar,Vocals,Trombone,Accordion,Synthesizer,Choir/Chorus,Guitar (Electric)
Heather Hall   Choir/Chorus
Lindsay Michelle Schief   Elka,Drums,Vocals,Triangle,Wurlitzer,Percussion,Tambourine,Choir/Chorus
Bill Kautz   Horn,Trumpet,Euphonium
Lindsay Schief   Drums,Vocals,Triangle,Wurlitzer,Percussion,Tambourine
Karl Blau   Guitar,Saxophone,Percussion,Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Eli "Jah" Moore   Bass,Bells,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Melodica,Keyboards,Wurlitzer,Percussion,Choir/Chorus,Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Jenny Jenkins   Choir/Chorus
Derek M. Johnson   Cello
Christopher Francis Schiel   Viola
Ashley Erickson   Bass,Drums,Organ,Piano,Cornet,Vocals,Celeste,Kalimba,Trumpet,Keyboards,Wurlitzer,Percussion,Tambourine,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Summer "The Bod" Schief   Choir/Chorus
April Schief   Choir/Chorus
Adam Oelsner   Bass,Guitar,Vocals,Trombone,Accordion,Keyboards,Tambourine,Synthesizer,Guitar (Electric)
Ben Kamen   Bells
Ben Kapp   Shaker,Tambourine
Billy Piepenbrink   Marimba

Technical Credits

Sarah Cass   Layout Design,Photography
Ashley Eriksson   Design,Sounds,Composer,Group Member,Layout Design,Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
Eli Moore   Composer,Lyricist
Andrew Dorsett   Horn Arrangements,Arranger,Composer,Group Member
Adam Forest Oelsner   Group Member
LAKE   Producer
Lindsay Michelle Schief   Group Member
Traditional   Composer
Lindsay Schief   Composer,Lyricist
J. Wood   Composer
Bill Kautz   Horn Arrangements
Eli "Jah" Moore   Composer,Group Member
Karl Blau   Producer
Ashley Erickson   Composer,Lyricist
Ny Antsaly   Composer
Barry Corliss   Mastering