Le Loup, The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations’ Millennium General Assembly

DC-based band Le Loup includes eight musicians, (or, “a collective of talented young artists and entrepreneurs,” according to their Website) who have collaborated to create The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations’ Millennium General Assembly. Don’t let the complicated title scare you away — the album is good. Like Sufjan Stevens but less grandiose, The Throne holds a rich and layered sound that is upbeat and serious, enchanting and substantial. It’s difficult to highlight certain tracks, especially since the album should be taken as a story; it’s a personal, spiritual journey developing canorously in a beautiful collision of banjos, campsite choirs, and synth beats.

The album begins with “Canto I,” which holds a spoken narrative of a person’s mental wanderings. The album remains in the theme of a life’s meaning in question into “Outside of this Car, The End of the World!,” a catchy and repetitive song which claims, “This could be the end of the world.” The first four tracks lead to a literal thunderstorm, opening up to the ethereal “We are Gods! We are Wolves!,” then to the two understated gems (and my personal favorites) of the album, “Breathing Rapture” and “Look to the West.” Le Loup’s The Throne has the feeling of being born in a forest, in a cabin; it’s mysterious and pretty, and deserving of a complete (no track skimming!) listen.