Lost Channels

Lost Channels, the fourth LP from Toronto folkies Great Lake Swimmers, is sincere and soothing, and even though several tracks are laden with heartbreak, it ultimately is uplifting. The album finds songwriter/frontman Tony Dekker searching for an end to loneliness in songs like "Palmistry" and "Stealing Tomorrow," yet feeling hopeful in others, like "Everything is Moving So Fast," in which he proclaims, "I am unlimited." Throughout the set, Dekker softly croons on top of his bandmates' effortless harmonies and un-intrusive, often-muffled percussion. While the rest of the backing consists mostly of gentle, fingerpicked acoustic guitar, purposeful strumming pumps life into songs like "She Comes To Me In Dreams," "Pulling On A Line," and "Still." And on top of that, the slight twang of Erik Arneson's banjo throughout serves as a constant breath of fresh air.