Not your typical singalong

Imagine your favorite folk singer decided to collaborate with an orchestra, and you’ve got a pretty good idea of what the musical collective Lost in the Trees is doing with its first album, All Alone in an Empty House. The music is true Americana: death, disappointment, a longing for a better life and a surprising amount of resilience. The songs, written by singer Ari Picker, are distinctive—not your typical “sing along on this chorus, now” folk songs. Instead, the songs have complex arrangements that play off the symphonic arrangements in a way that’s more reminiscent of next-gen folkies like Jolie Holland or Neko Case. With a fairly soft and high voice, Picker adds strains of traditional and experimental: a rising wall of strings, the tinny sound of a harpsichord, a smattering of horns. It’s more than enough to lift the songs up without overpowering its roots.