October Mountain is the sibling of A Stained August for the Jetcrash, a cassette released simultaneously on a second label. (What happened to September?) When one leans forward, ear to speaker, to hear a southern man discussing wasted lives, it’s with the interest of a child listening to a shortwave transmission. October Mountain is a clearer recording, although the subject matter is broader and as a result, more vague. The set includes an accident report, followed by a debate on driver safety; a woman ruminating about her life; and another babbling about the pseudoscience of *ahem* “going down”. When using dialogue, one is only as good as one’s weakest sample, and not everything works; “Black Collar Neighborhood” loops a 2-second exchange past the point of aggravation. Despite this, a theme of personal disengagement is apparent.
The strongest selections and segments use no dialogue at all, a testament to the mood setting abilities of Lost Trail. Ambient washes, acoustic guitar, warped pianos, rising drones, slideshows, crickets and oblivious children form a peeling varnish that is able to convey the theme without words. The strongest of these – “Blackberry Winter”, “Dusk Shrouds the Weary” and the last 3:12 of “Paint-Flaked Back Steps” – make a lasting impression by allowing the imagination free reign. A Stained August for the Jetcrash may be the better album, but October Mountain has the better tracks.
If society is this disconnected, perhaps an electromagnetic pulse will be needed to restore things to a more primitive state. In the wake of such an incident, much would change; but the music of Lost Trail, devoid of modern technology, would continue to map its own wilderness. (Richard Allen)
a closer listen 