The avant-folk music of Pennsylvania-based artist Lou Rogai, better known as Lewis & Clarke, have been pleasing my own ears for many years now. His melancholic creations are woven through with existential prose, subdued intimate beauty. I was surprised to read that these creations began nearly a decade ago now. My own introduction came via 2007’s Blasts of Holy Birth, an album that I’ve never tired of.
For those unfamiliar with his music it’s probably worth pointing out that whilst the name Lewis & Clarke plays on that American expedition the addition of the ‘e’ on Clarke is the giveaway as it actually refers to a friendship between writers/academics C.S. Lewis and Arthur C. Clarke…”a place where exploration and conversation meet, and where the realities and physicalities of the universe are as revered as its mysteries.”
Rogai has a third offering in the form of Triumvirate – a seventy-five minute journey through lush and brooding passages nestled in a canopy of strings, melancholic melodies and warm, world-weary beauty. Complex, fragile arrangements mix with unexpected but natural elements to create a tapestry of intricate yet strong compositions. Lyrically rich and musically gorgeous, Triumvirate is well worth the wait.
Our Song of the Day is the title track from that album ‘Triumvirate’:
We also have a short film detailing the environments, abstractions, and meditations of ‘Triumvirate’:
Triumvirate is released October 7th 2014 via La Société Expéditionnaire.
http://www.lewisandclarkemusic.com/