Loch Lomond stuns. Effortlessly combining symphonic chamber pop with the most raw, visceral and expert melodic acrobatics, the co-ed sextet employs the distinct use of harmonic vocals, mandolin, theremin, bass clarinet, and all manner of exclamatory percussion minutia to foil the even more distinct and arresting voice of lead singer/multi-instrumentalist Ritchie Young. Luring the listener with the unique range and power of his voice, Young is able to switch from high-pitched fragility to alto thunder in the turn of a phrase, yet he knows the power of restraint intuitively, saving vocal tornadoes for emotional apexes buoyed by string swells and moving arrangements. Few bands, especially of Loch Lomond's unique ilk, come from as disparate of backgrounds or intents: some members are teachers; some are computer programmers, some are visual artists and small business owners, and almost all are former high school band nerds, although one would never know it given the band's tapestry-tight weave of mesmerizing grandeur. Recently having returned from a triumphant US tour as main support for The Decemberists ("Singer Ritchie Young's earnest demeanor belies his enormous voice, and the band's varying instruments flesh out his songs perfectly."—EAR FARM; "Loch Lomond deserve all the accolades they are getting."—BrooklynVegan) and with an expertly creepy new video for new single "Blue Lead Fences" in hand, Loch Lomond is poised more now than ever to convert; to overwhelm, to stun.

Despite their individual musical pedigrees, the seasoned musicians that make up progressive string band Black Prairie aren't moonlighting. The ensemble is pulled together from different corners of Portland, Oregon's remarkably rich music scene, and while the high profile of each musician in the band—which includes three-fifths of the Decemberists—ensures a certain amount of attention, it's clear that Black Prairie are in it for purely musical reasons. They're playing a brand of Americana that defies easy categorization, cross-pollinating a number of different styles while exposing the venerable, forgotten roots of folk and bluegrass.