By: Alan D. Welding
Gretchen Lohse is a native Philadelphia singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She comes from a family with deep music roots and was classically trained on violin, which is evident on her recordings. As the front woman of Philadelphia psychedelic folk rock band Yellow Humphrey, she dreamt up rich, strange musical tapestries; Part memoir and part tall tale, heavily influenced by folklore and silent films. 

Her debut solo album continues to draw from these influences while delivering them in sparse arrangements with understated layers. The songs are stories, built around Lohse’s vocals and guitar and then infused with flutes (Naeemah Maddox; Donn T, Paper Masques), strings, and more surprisingly, warm analog synthesizers provided by Thomas Hughes (The Spinto Band, The Music Tapes). At times you’ll feel the intimacy of being alone in the room with her and at others you’ll feel transported into other dimensions.

Lohse further extends this dichotomy by integrating sounds mined from her collection of old, warped VHS home movies. The ghostly sounds of voices, birds, and other noises are distorted and woven within the mixes, creating a blend that is both eerie and familiar. This technique is a perfect accompanied to Lohse’s songs, which are personal and otherworldly. 
 
A music video for Ornament of the Enamoured Heart can be viewed here:
 

 http://vimeo.com/29505562

 
Primal Rumble is available online through the major digital retailers and her bandcamp: 
 
 
“The smartly hurt lyrics and subtly contagious melodies of the heartbroken, heartwarming songs are Lohse’s, and her voice is a fragile and potent focus.” — A.D. Amorosi, Philadelphia City Paper

“Philadelphia singer-songwriter Gretchen Lohse isn’t afraid of adventure. She sings about freeing your inhibitions when surrounded by nature…The result was a a stirring blend of folk and psychedelia” — John Vettese, WXPN

“If there seems to be a theme, or at least a consistent feeling, throughout “Primal Rumble” [it’s that it] blends folk and chamber music elements into an appealing and haunting sound of its own” – Michael Lello, Highway 81 Revisited

“Gretchen dances around notes like Zooey Deschanel with the fullness of Neko Case, and a fulsome ratio of the melancholy that all liminal seasons contain.” – Noise Narcs

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