Trace Mountains
Based in Upstate New York, Trace Mountains represents the solo endeavors of former LVL UP singer/guitarist Dave Benton. Initially formed as a lo-fi folk side project, Benton self-released a collection of idiosyncratic, yet endearing demos in 2016, followed in 2018 by Trace Mountains' debut, A Partner to Lean On. After LVL UP disbanded that same year, he moved to a small town in the Hudson Valley and committed himself more fully to his solo work, releasing the focused and ruminative indie rock of Lost in the Country in 2020 and the more folk-tinged House of Confusion the next year.
Along with fellow singer and guitarist Mike Caridi, Benton founded LVL UP in 2011 while attending State University of New York in Purchase. Their D.I.Y. ethos and energetic lo-fi rock helped them become a staple of the East Coast indie scene over the coming years. Likewise, the label that Benton and Caridi ran, Double Double Whammy, released numerous albums by other key indie players like Hovvdy, Mitski, and Radiator Hospital. Meanwhile, Benton had been recording his own quieter acoustic-based material under the name Trace Mountains. A quirky and introspective mix of folky musings and minimalist indie rock, he released a collection of his early recordings in 2016 under the title Buttery Sprouts & Other Songs. Around that same time, LVL UP's activity began to decline and in 2018, the same year Benton made his official Trace Mountains debut with A Partner to Lean On, they called it quits altogether. Recognizing it as a moment for personal change, Benton packed up and moved to the small town of Kingston in New York's Hudson Valley and began working on his follow-up with a handful of trusted collaborators. Released in 2020, Lost in the Country boasted a fuller and more focused sound with solitary themes often dealing with the natural world. The following year, Benton released House of Confusion, an even more refined set of songs that at times leaned into rootsy folk instrumentation.
© Timothy Monger /TiVo
Discography
11 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Lost in the Country
Alternative en Indie - Released by Lame-O Records on 10 apr. 2020
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
HOUSE OF CONFUSION
Alternative en Indie - Released by Lame-O Records on 22 okt. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Partner to Lean On
Alternative en Indie - Released by Lame-O Records on 30 mrt. 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Buttery Sprouts & Other Songs
Alternative en Indie - Released by Lame-O Records on 15 jul. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
7 ANGELS
Alternative en Indie - Released by Lame-O Records on 9 sep. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rock and Roll
Alternative en Indie - Released by Lame-O Records on 5 mrt. 2020
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lost in the Country
Alternative en Indie - Released by Lame-O Records on 14 feb. 2020
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
EYES ON THE ROAD
Alternative en Indie - Released by Lame-O Records on 7 okt. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
AMERICA
Alternative en Indie - Released by Lame-O Records on 12 aug. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
HEART OF GOLD
Alternative en Indie - Released by Lame-O Records on 7 okt. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -