Album Notes

Lanterna Desert Ocean

Desert Ocean is Lanterna's 5th album and the first release on Badman's new instrumental label Jemez Mountain. Lanterna's previous releases Elm Street (2001), Sands (2002) and Highways (2004) were passionately supported by NPR, nationally syndicated radio program Echoes (rising to Artist of the Month and a slot on their compilation CD) and have received 4 star reviews worldwide.

Lanterna is primarily the solo project of prolific guitarist Henry Frayne. Frayne is New York born, and raised in Champaign, Illinois. He has played with the Moon Seven Times and Area, both projects achieving a devoted underground following. Lanterna’s first album was initially self-released as a limited edition cassette. Further interest led to Rykodisc issuing an album with a special photo-book in 1998 to glowing reviews and a swelling cult audience. Lanterna came to the attention of Badman in 2001 with their superb album Elm Street.

Lanterna’s new 10 song CD, Desert Ocean, leads the listener on a journey through spaces that feel like a drive up and down winding roads, through mountain canyons and past scenery of beauty and illusion. Henry Frayne’s vision and influence for this album came from his sojourns across the U.S. and through Europe in support of his last album Highways.

The passion to record a wide range of ambient space with the sounds provided by some classic guitars, and old recording mate Eric Gebow on drums, seem to journey much further than the individual components normally allow. At times, the music can seem to hearken back to early psychedelic sonic washes a la Pink Floyd. Other times, there's a sense of traveling forward into the future where music has become the fully fleshed-out animal that many current songs can only hint at. In any case, it is always intended to serve as a soundtrack to whatever movie your mind might conjure.

When speaking of the sonic elements of the record Henry Frayne states, “Desert Ocean has some of my favorite guitar tones I've ever recorded. It's great to think that 40 year-old amps and guitars are still cranking it out after all these years. I like to think that some garage band was using my amps back in the '60s... and the spirit lives on.”

Previous press:
“As the lessons of ambient music have remained all too segregated from pop, Frayne should be saluted for his attempt to break down the barrier between these fields…he's searching for a bridge that could connect two worlds, and as he's one of very few architects with a solid blueprint, you'll want to keep his card in your rolodex.”