#lordhuron

I’ve been cooped up in my room lately; the arrival of summer has been the most exquisite excuse for a belated, thorough spring clean. This included rearranging my bookshelf and re-curating my playlists. I’m an Apple Music girl, and I organise almost all of my playlists manually—it’s a slow, ritualistic process that I truly enjoy more than I should.

May this summer playlist soften your grip on reality, and may every stranger seem vaguely fated, the moon always be on your side, and the air smell like a flower blooming with its perfume. 

Enjoy ♥ Find the playlist below on my Substack.

https://penetralium.substack.com/p/c950e0d7-5f77-43b7-b2f1-f7fd07ac4101?postPreview=paid&updated=2026-06-05T15%3A47%3A18.884Z&audience=everyone&free_preview=false&freemail=true

Now I’ll go back and hide in my burrow

(Please click on the image for better quality, tumble ruined it 😭)

These songs definitely fit him and his lore.

Ben Schneider with his band Tom Renaud, Mark Barry and Miguel Briseño are back with twelve new songs for their fifth album. This time around a number of collaborators join the mix. It’s been an amazing journey since I first saw them at The House in DeKalb back in 2013. Who knew they would garner “30 million monthly listeners on Spotify and a multi-platinum single, “The Night We Met,” with over 3 billion streams.” Needless to say, they’re one of the best Americana artists out there. The opening track, “Looking Back,” soars with cinematic sound and lyrics. “Gonna see if I can live outside the lines of my body and mind. Gonna see if I can find the time to sit and wonder why forever. If I need a little money, I’ll sell my soul, though it isn’t worth much. Maybe I can pay my cosmic debt before I turn to dust.” Here's the video:  

Track 2, "Bag of Bones," features stunt choreography (you'll see), direction, and performance by Matt McCreary in the video. It's a rockin' number with chiming, echoing guitars that will have you singing along in no time.         

“Nothing I Need” starts as a banjo pickin’ beauty, but heads into a rockin’ slide guitar romp. A rousing number live I’m sure! Here’s the video:

Track 4, “Is There Anybody Out There,” slows things down a bit as a drowsy, dreamy tune with delicate guitar touches. “Who Laughs Last” kicks in as a throbbing bass thriller, sonic drum beats, and screaming guitar licks. But it also features actress Kristen Stewart in a telephone stream of consciousness conversation. Check out the video:            

“The Comedian,” track 6, is another gorgeous, slow waltz filled with intricate piano work. Definitely a song to hear on Sunday morning. Also, some heartfelt lyrics add to the mood. “I wanna feel like I did back then, I wanna see my name in the lights again, I don’t know how I ended up like this, I had the whole wide world at my fingertips.” Track 7, “Watch Me Go,” is sure to be a crowd pleaser with its swift beats, echoing harmonies, and heartfelt lyrics. "Cause I see what I’m becoming yeah. I wanna ride with the wind, I don’t wanna die slow. You didn’t see me coming no. But you can watch me go, yeah, you can watch me go." “Fire Eternal” features Blonde Redhead's Kazu Makino. A nice vocal mix highlights this beautiful, slower number. Track 9 “It All Comes Back” is a spacy synth, keyboard beauty that realy adds to the sad lyrics. "You rule my desire, Staring into the fire and waiting for a sign, Cursing the night you waved goodbye." I'm guessing he's not quite over this relationship. Track 10, “Used To Know,” bounces back with detailed guitar, bass, and drums and you can't forget those gorgeous vocals. This is one I'll be playing over and over again. “Digging Up The Past” is as cosmic as Lord Huron can get with spacing synths, simple guitar chords and soaring solos. And don't forget the lyrics, "Heading through the darkness, I hear whispers in the pines. Voices void of meaning; empty echoes in my mind. Guess I’ll join the ghouls and have a laugh beside your grave. Digging up the past and dreaming of the good old days." The album's closer, “Life Is Strange,” continues the twanging, swirling guitars and heartfelt lyrics. "Just tears / for the young. Here’s a cup go on fill it up. Is it true that you really don’t dream anymore? Well do / what you must. In the end we all turn to dust. And I’ll stay forever right here if you want me to." Can't think of a better way to end an album. The good news is that Ben and band will be touring this album a lot. Big venues this time around, unlike The House show in Dekalb I saw so many years ago (Thanks, Joel Kennedy). ERIC EGGLESON  

(photo by Cole Silberman @colesilb)