With the optimistic beat pulsing through different pieces, it would be easy to assume that the songs on Lord Huron’s Strange Trails are truly cheery and lighthearted. On the contrary, songs on Strange Trails project an upbeat vibe, but the undertone tells a story of hurt and heartbreak. With their distinctive talent for storytelling and unmatchable instrumental talent, the Michigan-based group Lord Huron created an amazing and extraordinary album with some of the best indie songs.

Uniquely, each song is double sided. From superficial standpoint, songs could interpreted as simply a catchy and lively tune; whereas from a thoughtful view, these elaborate indie songs can be identified as tales of lost loves or raging revenge. The album is an artful piece of work that is full of instrumental surprises and intriguing stories of remorse and revenge.[/pullquote] revenges. “Fool for Love” tells the soulful tale of a man trying to win a girl’s love even when he knows she loves another, and in the end, he loses the girl, his friends, and his life because he’s a fool for love. The album itself is folky perfection, and their smooth voices echo through the masterful, acoustic tune. Every song is different from the other, but still projecting a similar vibe of upbeat with underlying tones of woe.

On some of their other albums, Lord Huron’s songs have had very similar structures and sounds. Dissimilarly, Strange Trails stylistically moves in many directions with different tones and volumes of guitar and bass. “The World Ender” is a story of revenge that has a crisp and quick voice ringing through the electric theme; on the flip side, “Meet Me in the Woods” has a faster sound and continuous guitar strumming which is accompanied by a metallic click and tambourine. Other indie groups, like Bon Iver, have also branched out from their usual sounds to explore a wide ranges of sounds and rhythms.

Strange Trails is the perfect blend of relaxing and still cheerful melodies that will bounce around your head for days. In “La Belle Fleur Sauvage,” there is an elemental walking bass line and consistent strumming pattern that, combined with their heavenly voices, sets the upbeat tone of the piece. Similarly, “Love Like Ghosts” has twangy riff throughout the piece that combines flawlessly with the louder electric guitar riff in the chorus, the smooth harmonies, and the rhythmic beat. The catchy tunes like these are great for background music while either relaxing or doing homework. Personally, I listen to this album on repeat to get through homework and still groove to great songs.

Overall, the album is an artful piece of work that is full of instrumental surprises and intriguing stories of remorse and revenge. Lord Huron’s unique interpretations and groovy atmosphere are perfect for any time of day, and anyone open to a new type of indie music will be sure to thoroughly enjoy Strange Trails.