Bend folk quartet Parlour digs deep into the past on its second record, “Seeing the Elephant,” recorded live at Baker City Interpretive Center in Baker City.

Main songwriter Mark Quon has always worn his historical interests on his sleeve (or guitar, as the case may be). His layered storytelling on last year’s debut “Days of Plenty” made that abundantly clear. Here, though, the writing is given even more focus over an eight-song cycle based on true stories from the Oregon Trail. Most of the songs feature source credits in the liner notes — four of these stories come from Tricia Martineau Wagner’s “It Happened on the Oregon Trail” — and after a cursory listen you may be tempted to dive into these history books yourself.

Quon and the rest of the band — vocalist Linda Quon, mandolinist Mike Potter and fiddler Susan Bonacker — set a melancholy mood to match Mark Quon’s evocative words. Bassist Craig Brown is a welcome addition to the original quartet, adding heft to the songs’ winding arrangements.

This is a dark album, as you’d expect, with multiple songs tackling the pioneers’ plunge into the unknown (such as title track, opener “In the Morning”). Death is a common theme: The moving “Sweet Sara Jane” deals with a couple’s grief at burying their daughter, while “Trail of Tears” tackles the forced relocation of Native American nations in the early 1800s. The latter song is one of the best here, with a yearning chord progression and mournful playing from Bonacker.

Husband-and-wife team Mark and Linda share lead vocals throughout, adding tonal variety to the set. Linda’s warm presence is a highlight of “Lion in the Water,” weaving in and out of Potter’s deft picking. Mark adds grit to the aforementioned “Trail of Tears” and “Wagon Train,” the closest thing to an upbeat song here.

Parlour hits the trail again Wednesday with an album-release show at McMenamins Old St. Francis School.

Parlour album release: 7 p.m. Wednesday; free; McMenamins Old St. Francis School, 700 NW Bond St., Bend, mcmenamins.com or 541-382-5174.

—  Brian McElhiney, The Bulletin