LUKE JACKSON
Bloom
Five years down the road since his last full release, the songs hint at a degree of living that have are the consequences of both the passage of time and the experiences that come with it. Luke has been with us that long, it is easy to forget that he has just reached 30 and to say that the songs show a greater maturity could be dismissive of his earlier work, which has always been interesting and never short of quality, but there is a new depth to both his material and delivery that make the half decade of waiting worthwhile. The tales of drinking and loving, touring and adventures along the way are testament to this but are surrounded by a kaleidoscope of musical and lyrical themes, anchored in folk but spreading out to take in other genres, particularly it would seem, The Blues with a smattering of rock and country, to the extent that we are encouraged to file under Americana. His own notes in the press release suggest that there have been struggles and challenges among the unquestionable highs along the way, (playing the Albert Hall and supporting Jools Holland anyone), but whatever the experiences have been, there has also been growth.
The album opens with ‘Ruler of Nothing’ loping along, always threatening to cut loose, but the restraint gives it a delicious edge of anticipation that lasts throughout, while ‘Woman’ enters gently before mixing a classic tale of morning regret with some references to more modern concerns – certainly no old style bluesman ever worried about the whereabouts of his phone, all delivered with the soulful element of Luke’s voice well to the fore.
The album does mix in what we take as autobiographical detail throughout the album, meaning that lyrical interest accompanies musical excellence across the tracks, Luke’s range of guitar skills aided and abetted by multi instrumental assistance from Elliott Norris, along with bass duties shared between Andy Sharps and Sam Mummery. There are also guest vocal appearances from Amy Wadge and folk club favourite, Edwina Hayes, ‘the sweetest voice in England’. Changing styles, Rubber & Magic’s gentle collaboration with Amy is followed by some good old no nonsense boogie that wouldn’t have disgraced The Quo in their pomp, such is the variety within the album, meaning that the percussively unaccompanied gospel styled ‘Trouble Now’ is more of a delight than a surprise. Old Friends is either painfully amusing or amusingly painful depending on your point of view and Hummingbirds of Kingston is just a thing of beauty, drawing us close to the concluding Beside You, positively augmented by the previously mentioned Edwina Hayes.
Whether this is an indication of where Luke wants to be artistically, or is another stop along the way, those of us of a certain age can envy the young, we can also look forward to finding what more years of playing, living, loving and drinking will bring to Luke’s music, but for now we can all enjoy where he has got to so far in an album that reveals new pleasures on repeated listens.
