Lost In The Fog
Not Far From The Tree
© 2003 Mchael Craig Moore (678277101425)
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Modern bluegrass - our roots show, but this is all original material.
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This is our second CD (see The Devil's Thumb, also here at CDBaby) but our first with all original material. The band consists of:
Michael Craig Moore, on banjo and vocals, the author of most of the songs. Michael is an architect, a father, and a driving force in what we create.
Jake Weber is our guitar player; she lends us a great singing voice and a great personal warmth.
Mark Snyder is our bass player and other primary vocalist along with Jake. His creative and jazzy style on the bass and the vocals define our sound almost as much as the tunes.
Jason Parker plays mandolin with a unique style and sings bass and baritone parts; his sparkling performances match his personality.
Brad Hull is a newer member, having joined at the start of 2004, and plays fiddle and sings. The rest of the band has been together 10 years, but they were right, a fiddle adds to it.
Some of these songs were written by one member, others in collaboration - the lyrics to Mother Gold were found after Jake's mother-in-law passed away, in her papers, and Jake put them to music because she found them so compelling. Michael played a substantial part in originating 7 of the 11 songs on this CD.
It should be emphasized that Orville Johnson was our producer on this CD, and he put some of his magic touch into it as well, with arrangement ideas, and with dobro, Weissenborn and guitar and with various rhythm instruments.
The sizzling dobro work on this CD is vintage Orville Johnson. Paul Elliott was brought in to do the fiddle part on I Haven't Started Missing You Yet, a classic country style song. Our recording engineer was much more than just that; David Lange contributed musically too, with an accordion addition to Timber Town that is just what the doctor ordered.
Stylistically, this CD is a good reflection of Lost In The Fog; some swingy, some country, some funky, and all basically bluegrass. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed putting it together for you.
reviews
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Great Album!
author: Harvey JonesWonderful traditional sound that warms the soul. Lovely vocal performances and the instrumentation was astounding. Any fan of bluegrass has got to have this album. Fun Fun Fun!!!
Excellent execution of impressive original music
author: Bill JolliffReview: Lost in the Fog's Not Far From the Tree According to Lost in the Fog's band website, their music is "Not quite bluegrass . . . Too funky for folk," and that's an accurate description of their new CD, Not Far From The Tree. This project wouldn't be considered "hard-driving" by fans of traditional grass, and it doesn't feature the instrumental pyrotechnics of newgrass. Nevertheless, this Washington-based quintet succeeds in presenting original acoustic material in a bluegrass style. The quality bar for regional bluegrass recordings keeps rising, and that's a mixed blessing. As a reviewer, I wish I could pay less attention to production values, but wishing won't make it so. My ears, like yours, have grown accustomed to digital perfection, so these days the first test of a homegrown CD is whether there is noticeable a quality drop-off when it spins up in the changer, particularly in the sonic wake of a big money, Nashville-produced group. Suffice it to say that Lost in the Fog has turned out a quality product; the recording, the package, and the promotional packet all make the grade. What about the music itself? The instruments are well played and mixed, the vocals are on pitch, the harmonies are fastidiously arranged and executed. But the strength of the CD is in the material. All eight songs and three instrumentals are originals, and the range is impressive: they really don't sound alike. Male and female leads swap off, and the bluegrass sub-styles covered range from fiddle-tunish instrumentals like "Juniper Berry," to the black gospel influenced "Carry Me Home," to the plaintive, tear-in- your-beer "I Haven't Started Missing You Yet," then finally back to the straight-grass "Home to Virginia" (which ends with a witty ironic twist). Each type is convincingly executed, and lead vocalist Jake Weber is particularly convincing in a number of contexts. That said, I always listen for that one song that folks will feel they just have to carry home--a song that people will like a whole lot more than money (otherwise there's no line at the product table and no hamburgers after the gig). To my ear, Lost in the Fog may have scored just such a number in the CD's closer, "Timber Town." There's a deep stream of honest, homesick sentiment in bluegrass, a river that runs deeper than simple nostalgia. That longing for what was, is a part of the aesthetic of our music. And personally, I find that experience more intense when Northwest bands are singing about Northwest experiences. Hence the success of "Timber Town": it's a plain-as-rain retelling of a Puget Sound childhood, cogently compressed into four minutes, and it works. The arrangement, like much of this album, isn't quite bluegrass--it uses old-time banjo and a tastefully understated accordion--but it captures the emotional space of bluegrass, and maybe that's what really defines our music. In any case, when folks analyze what makes up this urban tradition of bluegrass in the Pacific Northwest, Lost in the Fog should be part of the formula. Bill Jolliff
Exceptional release packed with prowess and passion!
author: Kim LoftisOne strength of this Seattle based band, (and believe me, they have many strengths), is the quality of their original songs. Michael C Moore took part in the creation of seven of the eleven tracks, and other band members also did their fair share of writing these superb cuts! But more on that momentarily. The musicianship of all band members is truly exceptional… they have tremendous chemistry, (which undoubtedly comes from the ten years that most of them have spent playing together.) Not only is their instrumental prowess evident on every track, but also there singing is simply sterling. If you aren’t getting out your credit card to purchase this yet, please read on! From the first cut, the optimistic and beautiful “Home In My Heart”, all the aforementioned attributes of this band are made very clear. Mark delivers a lovely lead in his warm rich tenor, which draws in the listener. The vocal harmonies are tight and gloriously put forth, and you’ll be left smiling at the lovely message this song presents. “Carry Me Home” is simply stunning, and incorporates elements of the spiritual, swing, and lots of soul, immediate in Jake’s fantastic vocal performance. The ending will steal your breath away. “Favorite Son” follows, a down-home bluegrass tune with fabulous solos by all! This one’s sure to get you up and dancing! “Mother Gold” is admittedly one of my favorites. Jake found the lyrics to this piece among her late mother-in-law’s papers, and was so compelled by them that she put them to music. This is a gorgeous piece, and as with all tracks on this album, is delivered with passion and prowess, with Jake’s warm contralto out front. “Juniper Berry” is another great tune filled with inspired playing, while “I Haven’t Started Missing You Yet” is a beautiful country-tinged song about love, loss and denial. “I Feel Lucky Today” is sure to please any listener, while the final instrumental, “Rude Dude In a Bad Mood”, is an extraordinarily fun tune with a killer opening banjo lick that will make you rush for your volume control! “Quarters and Pennies” is one of those gloriously well-done story songs that is sure to haunt you, with it’s themes of love gone wrong, alcoholism and a broken family unit. But you won’t be sad for long, and will be singing right along with the upbeat beauty, “Home To Virginia.” Despite the somberness of parts of the album’s closer, “Timber Town”, I smile each time I hear it, being the daughter of a logger myself. I can certainly relate to parts of the song, for sure. Again, dynamite harmonies, and David Lange’s accordion work is a great touch. There’s something for everyone on this release… tight harmonies, stunning vocals, terrific musicianship by all, genre-bending compositions, and eleven killer tracks brimming with passion on all sides! Truly exceptional work! You may want to buy a couple copies, as this is sure to be in heavy rotation! Highly, highly recommended!
Appealing vocals and exhilarating instrumentals
author: Joe RossPlaying Time – 41:04 -- Lost in the Fog is a northwest band whose sophomore release, “Not Far From The Tree” shows an affinity for original music that is built on a foundation of bluegrass, blues, folk and gospel. Besides having a number of songwriters in the group, Lost in the Fog’s strengths also revolve around some appealing vocalists and exhilarating instrumentalists. They are among today’s groups with bluegrass instrumentation who also push the envelope a bit into more contemporary and eclectic directions. Yet, their repertoire still indicates that they’ve connected the dots to the past and understand what’s gone before. I wonder if their versatility may be somewhat related to the members’ varied upbringings in the states of Iowa, Florida, New Jersey, New York and Washington. Personal experiences and environment play a large part in one’s attitudes about music and life in general. An album like this also shows that they are a cohesive unit that enjoys each other’s company and makes the most of their strengths. Lost in the Fog is Michael Moore (banjo), Jake Weber (guitar), Mark Snyder (bass), Jason Parker (mandolin), and Brad Hull (fiddle). All the members sing. Some of their songs were written by one band-member, while others are collaborative efforts. After her mother-in-law passed away, Jake Weber found the lyrics to “Mother Gold” in her papers. Jake put them to music because she found them so compelling. Michael Moore played a substantial part in writing seven of the songs on this album. They clearly have fun writing and playing in various styles. Brad Hull’s instrumental “Juniper Berry” has an old-timey flavor. Moore’s “I Haven’t Started Missing You Yet” has a country lilt and includes the guest fiddling of Paul Elliott. Another Moore original, “Timber Town,” has the accordion of the project’s engineer, David Lange. Another special guest on “Not Far From the Tree” is producer Orville Johnson who appears on all tracks playing dobro, Weissenborn guitar, guitar and/or percussion. Lost in the Fog hopes to get their music further afield despite the fact that some band-members work in day jobs such as architect or social services agency director. Stylistically, “Not Far From the Tree” is a very good reflection of this band which describes their sound as “some swingy, some country, some funky, and all basically bluegrass.” (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)
This is a FIRST RATE recording project and this will be on my list of Top Ten Pi
author: Pete Goodall, Bluegrass Ramble KBCS FMFirst off this is a FIRST RATE recording project and this will be on my list of Top Ten Picks for 2004 at KBCS! The vocal work throughout is stunning! Mark and Jake have a way of blending their voices that can only come from the 10 years they have been working together. Their duet work is tight and tasty and the whole ensemble work (especially at the end of Carry Me Home) sends a chill down my spine. But here is what "seals the deal" - the tunes! From the optimistic lyrics of "Home In My Heart", to the wonderful adaptation of "Mother Gold", to the true reality-bluegrass of "Timber Town", Lost In The Fog touches upon a wide range of emotions. This, to me, is the mark of not only a well crafted project, but of what I suspect was many hours working to refine each individual tune, putting honest feelings into the words and music, and just plain "getting it right". And this is what sets Not Far From The Tree apart from many other recording projects I've heard. It's not just quantity of original material here; it's the quality of that material. As a result, Not Far From The Tree will be getting some serious airplay on Bluegrass Ramble