The Lorcas are Ruth Jacob- Singing and banjoing/guitaring
Emily C. Smith- Singing and guitaring/harmonicaing
Influences
Sufjan Stevens, John Prine, Woody Guthrie, Derroll Adams, Elvis Costello, Violent Femmes, Holly Golightly, The Beatles, Benjamin Thomas, Harrisburg, The Prints of Whales, Dan Raza, Trent Miller
Sounds Like
'Something pretty beautiful' remarks the man with a beard!
In a far away land called the Middle Land, where the sky is thick and black, two baby sisters lay in their cots. Their poor, poor parents could only afford to raise one child and so Emily, the older of the two sisters was tossed out the window and onto the back of a passing cart. They did their best to forget Emily and continued to raise Ruth, the other sister, as if she was an only child. The cart that was carrying Emily was also carrying vegetables to the other side of the vast valleys of the Middle Land. Emily was luckily rescued and raised by a childless couple who made a living building and designing some of the world's most beautiful hot air balloons.
Throughout the rest of Ruth and Emily's childhood days the two sisters pined for each other greatly and would often sing themselves to sleep, just as they had sang to each other when they were infants.
Some time lapsed and Emily and Ruth unknown to each other both escaped the black air of the Middle Land to seek their fortunes in the big smoke of the City. They both hoped they could earn money as singers, Emily carried with her a guitar and Ruth a banjo.
One dark and peacful night the two sisters were cycling home. They were cycling along the hazardous winding path known to locals as the Lorca. Emily, the more inexperienced cyclist, hit a stone as she travelled down the Lorca, she went cartwheeling onto the other side of the path. By chance, or fate, or some kind of other worldly type intervention, Ruth happened to be cycling up the Lorca. The sisters collided and both crashed to the dusty path.
It had been so long since the two sisters had seen each other they had only a faint feeling they had perhaps seen each other somewhere before. Emily was injured, her knee was all bloody and both the sisters thought they could see a bit of the knee bone poking out. Ruth got her banjo out, it had not been damaged in the accident, it was just missing the top string. She began to sing to Emily, to try and distract her from the pain of her knee. Without thinking, Emily began to sing along with her sister, just as they had when they were infants. Emily knew every word. No other person in the world, apart from her sister, knew the words to Ruth's songs. The two sisters suddenly realised who the other one was. They flung their arms around each other. Ruth got Emily her guitar and they sat and played together until the paramedic arrived.
Since their reunion on the Lorca path, the once separated sisters are now inseparable and can be found playing their own unique brand of folk be-bop-a-lula acid country in a pub near you.
The deXter Bentley Hello GoodBye Show returns to the airwaves on Resonance 104.4 FM this Saturday 5th September between noon and 1.30pm. Today's broadcast is in conjunction with PESTIVAL * With contributions from the Mosquito expert Dr. James Logan, an essay from the author Tim Burrows (on the subject of insects in rock and pop), plus live music from the London based alt/art duo Plug, who will debut new insect related material especially written for Hello GoodBye.
* PESTIVAL is a festival celebrating insects in art, and the art of being an insect. Pestival 2009 runs from 3rd-6th September @ The Southbank Centre and is jam-packed with insect-inspired talks and debates, as well as comedy, music, walks, workshops, installations and experiments. For further information, please visit: http://pestival.org
Tune in and turn on. Episode 18 features the long awaited return of Ben Folke Thomas, from his hidden island lair to continue his evil plans to take over the world, an interview with, performance by, exclusive album track play, and give away, by noir-folkists 'Juniper Leaf', and many more goodly musical gifts to be bestowed upon you dear listener by the noble Lantern Players.
Listen and subscribe for FREE with iTunes. Click the banner above, or...
Tune in to episode 12 of the Lantern Society Radio Hour, featuring the creme de la creme of the capital's most comely crooners. Stunning live performances beautifully captured for your listening pleasure, at London's Finest Folk Club, The Lantern Society.
And, why not join us for the next Lantern Society - Thursday 18th June.
The Betsey Trotwood, Farringdon Rd, London. EC1R 3BL
Hello The Lorcas. This is our first headline London show for a very long time, to celebrate finishing our new album which will be out later this year. So come on down and have a good time with us.
...and of course don't forget London's Finest Folk Club, The next Lantern Society - Thursday 7th May at the Betsey Trotwood, Farringdon Rd, EC1R 3BL. Neartest tube Farringdon.
Hello The Lorcas. The new episode of The Lantern Society Radio Hour is now on the air. As recorded at London's Finest Folk Club on 16th april 2009. Click the banner below to subscribe for free at iTunes, or simply use the player to tune in.
....
And do come along to the next installment of the Lantern Society at The Betsey Trotwood, Farringdon Rd, on Thursday 7th May.
Upcoming shows: 15-17 May - Wood Festival, Braziers Park, Oxfordshire. BUY TICKETS
18th May - Spectacle Records Presents: Your New Favourite Bands at Catch Bar, 22 Kingsland Road. Shoreditch, London. HEADLINE SHOW.
Get outa here!!! Seriously? Oh, that would be great to see you guys. Baby is due in June, so ears will be ripe for hearing some banjo pickin' by August!! Keep in touch, ok.
