Lanterna

Lanterna is primarily the solo project of prolific guitarist Henry Frayne. Highways is his fourth album, and third for Badman. His previous releases Elm Street (2001) and Sands (2002) were passionately supported by NPR and received four-star reviews worldwide.

Henry Frayne is New York born, and raised in Champaign, Illinois. He has played with the Moon Seven Times and Area, both projects achieving a devoted underground following. Lanterna's first album was initially released on Parasol Records as a limited-edition cassette. Further interest led to Rykodisc issuing an album with a special photo-book in 1998 to glowing reviews and a swelling cult audience.

Lanterna's new album, Highways, leads the listener on a journey through spaces that feel like a drive up and down winding roads, through mountain canyons and past scenery of beauty and enchantment. There is light and darkness on this journey and plenty of room for self-realization and tranquility.

The passion to record a wide range of ambient space with the sounds provided by a trusty guitar and a delay pedal seem to journey much further than the individual components normally allow.

At times, the music can seem to hearken back to early psychedelic sonic washes a la Pink Floyd. Other times, there's a sense of traveling forward into the future where music has become the fully fleshed-out animal that current songs can only hint at. In any case, it is always intended to serve as a soundtrack to whatever movie your mind might conjure.

"As the lessons of ambient music have remained all too segregated from pop, Frayne should be saluted for his attempt to break down the barrier between these fields - she's searching for a bridge that could connect two worlds, and as he's one of very few architects with a solid blueprint, you'll want to keep his card in your rolodex." - Pitchforkmedia

"Chalk up another victory for ethereal guitar player Henry Frayne. Frayne (the primary creative force behind Lanterna) delicately strums, picks and bends his guitar strings, creating a commanding yet notably tranquil release that incorporates the use of spatial elements and smooth rhythms, with compelling results." - splendidzine.com

"The Lanterna sound is ideal for a drive down some lonely highway late at night. It's a guitar sound that conjures up the soul of the night, not in a spooky way, but in portraying nighttime's quiet and empty spaces" - Amazon.com

CD package design on Highway is provided by Bruce Licher (of IPR, Independent Project Records and Scenic fame).

Lanterna was chosen by the producer of NPR's "All Things Considered" to be a featured artist on their 17-track "All Songs Considered" CD compilation. Lanterna has also had music used in Steven Spielberg's film Catch Me if You Can.