Lorain (formerly Grand Lake Islands) is a recording, performing, and head-clearing project of songwriter Erik Emanuelson and instrumentalists Bob Reynolds, Joseph Anderson, and Robin Bacior.
They play woozy American music. Emanuelson’s expressive tenor, recalling ghosts of Nashville Skyline era Dylan and the late Jason Molina, floats over lush textures and the band’s understated groove.
Having played and toured for years—in New York City, Portland, and throughout the west coast—under the name Grand Lake Islands, Emanuelson, along with current collaborators, Reynolds and Anderson decided to step away and reassess. The band had cultivated a creative chemistry and sound that had drifted significantly from Grand Lake Islands’ ramshackle-folk beginnings. With the addition of Portland musician, Robin Bacior, the change was imminent.
Lorain was conceived around a batch of new songs and the desire to build a project, collectively, from the ground up. These new songs emphasize restraint, relying more on subtlety, texture, and structure than crescendo to hit their mark. Despite this, Emanuelson’s ability to emote has remains intact, if not refined.
This event is free and open to the public.