Loch Lomond is an American band based in Portland, Oregon.

The band… Read Full Bio ↴Loch Lomond is an American band based in Portland, Oregon.

The band started as a solo recording project of Ritchie Young in 2003. With help of engineer/producer Rob Oberdorfer, Young crafted the first Loch Lomond album, When We Were Mountains. Over the next few years, Loch Lomond performed around Portland and the Pacific Northwest in various incarnations. Live performances would range from Young by himself to a full band. During this time, many different recording sessions took place in various studios and homes. These recordings were compiled on the early 2006 EP Lament For Children.

In the later half of 2006, Loch Lomond solidified into a nine-person band. In this format, they produced their 2007 album "Paper the Walls", which was more reminiscent of traditional chamber folk music while featuring many non-traditional instruments. They toured with The Decemberists in late 2008. In 2010, Loch Lomond's song, Wax and Wire, was featured in the short film Danny MacAskill's Way Back Home produced by Red Bull Media House.

2011 saw the release of Little Me Will Start A Storm, Tender Loving Empire. 2012 Chemikal Underground released the EP White Dresses.

Pens From Spain, their most recent album will be released on September 2, 2016, on Hush Records.

Loch Lomond effortlessly combines their symphonic nature with chamber-pop melodies. The six to nine performers orchestrate instruments to provoke a visceral experience that is both raw and emotional, weaving the distinct use of mandolin, theremin and saw along with the traditional indie instrumentation.

Luring the listener with the unique range and power of his voice, Ritchie Young's vocal ability enables him to switch from fragility to thunder in the turn of a phrase. Yet, Young exercises the power of restraint, saving vocal tornadoes for emotional apexes, buoyed by the four-part harmonies, string section swells and rhythmic dynamics of the ensemble.

Drawing inspiration from the iconic Funky Church, a Portland venue that serves as a home to local artists and musicians , Loch Lomond utilized this space to nurture their music in a way only a high-domed ceiling and absent sound system can convey. In conjunction with the cathedral's influence, Ritchie Young calls on inspiration from within to infuse his creativity. "My internal inspiration comes out of me in strange ways," says Young. "I lock myself in a room until I scream, knock stuff over, whatever I'm compelled to do to make a song emerge. Once a song does come out of me, I leave it alone. Changing the structure or the lyrics would feel like I was second-guessing my art."

There are no half measures with Loch Lomond. This group remains a long respected, gathering force that brings their tidal waves of sound to a much wider audience by immersing itself in a myriad of trained musicians. Ritchie explains, "It was a very slow process of finding the right people that fit. I say this in the most humblest of ways. Amanda Lawrence for example was at a show we were playing and her husband leaned over to her and said 'This is the band you need to be in; this is what you have been looking for!' She gave Peter Broderick a call and the next week she was playing with us and she fits so well."

The third official recording from Loch Lomond, Paper The Walls, evokes an emotional response to deeply imprint itself on the listener with songs comprised of gently narrated stories unraveling with rustic charm; simple in form, but saturated with tone and texture. Recorded at Portland's Type Foundry (M Ward, The Decemberists) and their second release from Hush Records, the album is rich with detail while retaining an uncommon sense of space.

spine
Loch Lomond Lyrics

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Well I had a friend, had a friend
If you see him, you tell him he is dead.
Well I had a wife, had a wife,
If you see them, you tell them they are dead.

You are the weight, on my shoulder
You are the weight, on my shoulder.

Now it's gone.

Well I had a life, had a life,
If you saw it you'd swear it was strong
Well I had a spine, had a spine,
If you saw it you'd swear it was strong

You are the weight, on my spine
Weight, on my shoulders
Weight mind

Now its gone

When I find you,
When I find you,
I'll put the pressure on your spine
By the back of your head.

When I find you,
When I find you,
I'll put the pressure on your spine
By the back of your head.

And now the pressure's gone,
And now the pressure's gone.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Loch Lomond's "Spine" seem to explore the aftermath of a personal tragedy. The singer starts by talking about a friend and a wife they lost - the repetition of the phrase "If you see them, you tell them they are dead" gives a sense of finality and unchangeability, as if the singer is struggling to come to terms with the loss. The chorus line "You are the weight, on my shoulder" suggests a burden or responsibility that the singer is carrying as a result of this loss - perhaps a sense of guilt or regret about not being able to prevent it. The repetition of "Now it's gone" in between verses adds a sense of finality and closure to each loss.

The second half of the song seems to shift focus to the singer's own strength and resilience. They talk about their life and spine being strong, but now that weight is gone. The repetition of "Weight, on my spine/shoulders/mind" reinforces the idea of carrying a burden or responsibility. The repeated phrase "When I find you, I'll put the pressure on your spine/By the back of your head" feels like a threatening assertion of control and power - the singer wants to be able to put pressure on someone else's spine, perhaps to feel a sense of control over their own life again. The final line, "And now the pressure's gone" suggests that the singer has achieved some sort of resolution or closure.

Overall, the lyrics of "Spine" feel very personal and reflective, exploring themes of loss, guilt, and personal strength. The repeated phrases and simple language create a sense of emotional intensity and immediacy.

Line by Line Meaning

Well I had a friend, had a friend
I used to have a friend, yes a friend

If you see him, you tell him he is dead.
If you come across him, please tell him he is dead.

Well I had a wife, had a wife,
I used to have a wife, yes a wife,

If you see them, you tell them they are dead.
If you come across them, please tell them they are dead.

You are the weight, on my shoulder
You are the burden that I carry on my shoulder

You are the weight, on my shoulder.
You are the burden that I carry on my shoulder.

Now it's gone.
But thankfully now it's gone.

Well I had a life, had a life,
I used to have a life, yes a life,

If you saw it you'd swear it was strong
You would have thought my life was a strong one, if you saw it.

Well I had a spine, had a spine,
I had a backbone, yes, a backbone,

If you saw it you'd swear it was strong
If you saw it, you would have thought it was strong.