Louisiana Territory Finds “Traces of Gold” in New LP

What do you get when you mix a weekend warrior bass fisherman, a graphic designer who can play the glockenspiel, and a church music director who can often be found at the poker table taking people for hundreds of dollars? An indie pop-rock band with big time hooks and catchy melodies, of course. That might not have been the answer you were expecting, but in the case of the Richmond, Virginia-based band Louisiana Territory, it is fact – not fiction.

The band has just put the finishing touches on their first full length recording Traces of Gold and are preparing for their CD release show, which will take place on lucky Friday the 13th of November, at Gallery 5 in the band’s hometown of Richmond. The record is full of great songs and starts off with the title track “Traces of Gold,” in which lead singer Mark Brown, guitarist Tyler Crowley, and bassist Matt Klimas deliver the goods.

Although they are an independent band, this is a major label-quality record, and some of that credit goes to producer John Morand. The band searched long and hard while entertaining the idea of working with producers from Seattle to Nashville, but in the end, they found the perfect piece of the puzzle in Morand (it probably didn’t hurt that he has a platinum record to his credit and has worked with everyone from Hanson to indie faves Sparklehorse). “They are basically a pop band in the tradition of the English sound, like Travis, Teenage Fanclub, and Coldplay; but they have this rock band thing going on as well. There is also a very spiritual element to Louisiana Territory,” says Morand.

Although Mark Brown handles lead vocals and fronts the band, make no mistake, Crowley and Klimas are not sidemen. “Most of the time I bring in the basic idea for a song on acoustic guitar, but it comes to life when Matt and Tyler put on their wizard hats and make it an actual song,” says Brown. “It is by far the most collaborative band I’ve even been involved with,” adds guitarist Crowley. Whatever the formula, it works and that is most obvious on the song “Rest.” This is a great pop song that Aimee Mann wishes she had written. I would not be surprised if radio stations across the country start putting “Rest” in heavy rotation. Yes, it’s that good.

Traces of Gold will officially be released on 13 November, 2009, and the good folks of Richmond would do well to take notice that, with Louisiana Territory, they have an indie pop-rock treasure right in their own back yard.

For fans of: Jars of Clay, Snow Patrol, Nada Surf, Coldplay