Lucero
Texas & Tennessee
Lucero’s sound has been a lot of things: twangy country, bar
rock, melancholy alt-country, and a whole bunch of things in between. For me, they’ve always been the most piercing
purveyors of sad bastard music on the sketchy side of the Mason-Dixon. I’ve loved this band through all of their
incarnations and stylistic changes, but I truly do prefer them when they are
moaning about a forelorned lover or regretting whiskey-fueled life
choices. On their most recent work, Women & Work, they largely
substituted the depressing mode of earlier work in favour of more up-beat Memphis
soul sound, which I liked a little less (personal preference). Fortunately, they have seemed to lose
whatever sense of happiness that they had on their newest EP called Texas &
Tennessee. While the musical style isn’t
that far from their newer material, there is an authenticity in these
depressing-as-hell songs that I love and that harkens back to the bands earlier
work.
The song “Texas & Tennessee” is a highlight of the
4-song EP and is slow, murky, and heart-felt in an impressive way that Lucero
has become famous for. From there “Union
Pacific Line” takes a decidedly country turn and would almost be at home on
another Ben Nichols solo album.
Regardless, this song is sad and amazing. “Breathless Love” seems like the most at home
with the Women & Work-era Lucero that we’ve seen as of late, but there is
still sadness that transcends the use of a horn section. Finally, “The Other Side of Lonesome” makes
even the most chipper listener contemplate suicide.....and I mean that as a
compliment. Most vocalists sound like
whiney bitches or self-indulgent brats when they fill consecutive songs with
laments, but Nichols has the ability to turn a phrase in such a way as to melt
an old metalheads heart rather than encourage his scorn.
Yes, this is a metal/hardcore/punk review site, but Lucero
is better than most bands, and I help run this site, so I’ll do whatever I damn
well please.
Pick up the digital version of this EP on April
30 or here.
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