In Lisa Forrest’s first book of poems, To The Eaves (2008), the music is of remembrance and hope, of longing and loss. Someday I’ll return / to the doorway / where you stood /… / you just pointed / to the weeds / the sliver moon trees, // singing a sorry song. Oh Lake Erie (2011), Forrest’s first full-length album, brings that same poet’s ear to the studio. In fact, many of the songs collected here, including “Black Dog’s Lament,” “Sorry Song,” and “Porcelain,” were poems first in To The Eaves. But where as poems they sang the chilled Minnesota winter, the dry whine of August insects in an auburn field, in Oh Lake Erie we hear the living heart and rusted clang of a city built on iron and steel gone bust. Most of the songs on Oh Lake Erie were first written and sung at a small lake cottage outside of Buffalo, overlooking the lake and just out of view of the city’s lights. Joined here by some of the Nickel City’s most talented musicians, Forrest brings that original scene of both yearning and escape to full bloom in these eleven originals, at once fresh and timeless, tirelessly tread. It’s over the sorrow this time is mine / the black dog out back / barking discontent / all night long I hear / his song of moonshine tears / ragged black dog’s lament…Dobro and harmonica, accordion and pedal steel, piano, violin, clarinet, and delicate vocal harmonies, all over a quietly insistent snare and guitar—Oh Lake Erie maps the possibilities between the corner honky-tonk and the steel-blue lapping waves. Recorded at the home studio of Jonathan Hughes in Buffalo, NY, Oh Lake Erie features John G. Brady (guitar), Jonathan Hughes (bass, organ), Ronnie Kowalewski (accordion), Doug Lambert (guitar, bass, harmonica, piano, voice), Rob Lynch (drums), Marlene Mathews (violin), David Mussen (clarinet), Melissa Rapisardi (voice), Paul Todaro (upright bass), Jonas Westbrook (guitar, voice), and Jim Whitford (dobro, pedal steel). 1. Black Dog's Lament features Lisa Forrest (voice), Jonathan Hughes (bass), Doug Lambert (backing voice), Rob Lynch (drums), Marlene Mathews (violin), Melissa Rapisardi (backing voice), Jonas Westbrook (acoustic guitar, backing voice, Jim Whitford- pedal steel). 2. Sorry Song features Lisa Forrest (voice), Jonathan Hughes (bass, electric guitar, organ), Rob Lynch (drums), Jonas Westbrook (guitar, voice), Jim Whitford (dobro). 3. Dear Lover features Lisa Forrest (voice), Doug Lambert (piano, voice), Melissa Rapisardi (voice). 4. Oh Lake Erie features Lisa Forrest (voice, acoustic guitar), Marlene Mathews (violin), David Mussen (clarinet), Melissa Rapisardi (backing voice). 5. Three Words to Say features Lisa Forrest (voice), Jonathan Hughes (bass), Jonas Westbrook (acoustic guitar, voice), Jim Whitford (pedal steel). 6. Five Straight Block features Lisa Forrest (voice), John G. Brady (acoustic & electric guitars), Doug Lambert (bass), Rob Lynch (drums), Melissa Rapisardi (backing voice). 7. Right About You features Lisa Forrest (voice), John G. Brady (acoustic guitar, backing voice), Jonathan Hughes (bass), Rob Lynch (drums). 8. Dear Lover (Reprise) features Lisa Forrest (voice), Ronnie Kowalewski (accordion), Doug Lambert (acoustic guitar, voice), Rob Lynch (drums), Melissa Rapisardi (voice), Paul Todaro (upright bass), Jim Whitford (dobro). 9. Sunshine on the Kitchen Floor features Lisa Forrest (voice), Doug Lambert (acoustic guitar, backing voice), Rob Lynch (drums), Jim Whitford (bass, pedal steel). 10. Still Sorry features Lisa Forrest (voice), Doug Lambert (piano, voice, harmonica). 11. Porcelain features Lisa Forrest (voice, acoustic guitar), Marlene Mathews (violin), David Mussen (clarinet), Melissa Rapisardi (backing voice). Please note that special edition letterpressed copies of Oh Lake Erie are available through Etsy.