Amber Webber climbed Black Mountains and found Infinite Light

By Dana Raidt
Published: September 15th, 2009 | 12:00am

Ask someone to describe Black Mountain and the first thing they’ll mention is that voice — the soaring, hovering, slightly trembling singing of Amber Webber. For better or for worse, Webber is forever tied to her one-of-a-kind vocal cords. But that unmistakable voice has by no means doomed her to a life of musical monotony, or even relegated her to one end of the musical spectrum. Luckily, that voice complements a string-laden ballad just as well as it does an epic, psych-rock jam.

“In Black Mountain I get to be a rocker kind of chick and just wail,” Webber says. “I like being that singer, but I also like any chance to do something different.”

And so she did. On the phone from her hometown of Vancouver, Webber explains the many differences between Black Mountain and Lightning Dust, her side project with fellow Black Mountain member Joshua Wells. Conveniently, it turns out the differences can pretty much be summed up in the bands’ respective names. While Black Mountain has made a name crafting multi-layered, conceptual rock songs, Webber describes Infinite Light (Jagjaguwar), Lightning Dust’s lushly arranged second album, as “giving the feeling of traveling through something light.”

“For the first album, [Wells] had songs and I had songs, and we didn’t work together as much,” Webber says. “We always write separately, then collaborate. But this time we wrote together a little more, and it happened to be poppier.”

The album showcases Webber’s powerful yet fragile voice and an ability to write songs that are simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking. Not only is she the star of Infinite Light — she completely propels it. To call it “poppier” is a relative term, especially when the comparison point is the intensity of Black Mountain. Infinite Light still has its dark and brooding moments, despite some almost chamber-pop arrangements. By the way, she swears she “must have been kidding” when she was once quoted as saying that Lightning Dust brought out her goth side. “We all have a dark side, I guess,” she laughs. “I like the spacious, intense kind of song, but I like pop songs too.”

Despite Webber’s uniqueness, it would be easy to get lost in the musical depths of Black Mountain. It would also (quite literally) be easy to get lost in the band because, well, there are a lot of people: five core members plus a loose collective of collaborator friends dubbed Black Mountain Army. Lightning Dust’s 2007 self-titled debut put a much-deserved spotlight on Webber, and the project gave her an outlet to explore a different side of her persona — one where she’s calling the shots. It’s not that Black Mountain ever held her back, but it is Lightning Dust that has allowed her a space to do things her way, and to establish her credibility as a bona fide frontwoman.

Webber is quick to acknowledge the often absurd treatment female musicians face (she is the only female member of Black Mountain). But along with the more central role in her newer project, she gets an ally on the road in her sister, Ashley Webber, who is a member of Lightning Dust’s touring band. Not only does bringing her sister on the road mean instant backup in case of the inevitable jerk promoter, club owner, or engineer, but it was through Ashley that the band became connected with Bonnie “Prince” Billy, whom they toured with in the spring. Ashley sang on his 2008 release, Lie Down In the Light (Drag City). “I thought [bringing Ashley on tour] would end up a disaster,” says Webber. “[Siblings] really test your patience and I’m sure I do the same to her.” Don’t worry; they get along fine, she says.

Also new for Webber is playing guitar during live shows. While it’s her instrument of choice for writing songs on her own, she’s never considered herself to be a true guitar player, at least not in a live setting. “I’m very … well, let’s just say fresh, at playing guitar,” she laughs. “It stresses me out a little because there’s not much leeway for mistakes.”

With Lightning Dust already touring again this fall (this time venturing into Europe), releasing Infinite Light, plus practicing several times a week and writing with Black Mountain, Webber is probably one of the busier people on this side of the hemisphere. But listening to her talk about her projects, it’s clear that it’s the happiest kind of busy. Luckily, the success of Black Mountain has allowed her the financial freedom to let her music — and the hard work and extensive touring that comes with it — be her main focus. “Seven days a week I’m doing something with music,” Webber says. “Luckily, touring is just like pressing pause on your bank account.”

Black Mountain will be at the forefront again in a few months as Webber and company prepare to record new material. But don’t expect her to get lost in the crowd.

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