CellarGhosts
07/23/08, 03:34 PM
Lucero - Tennessee
Record Label: Madjack Records
Release Date: September 24, 2002
Formed in 1998 in Memphis, Tennessee, Lucero have become one of the premier acts in the alternative-country genre, often overlooked by the mainstream media. After releasing two albums (The Attic Tapes in 2000 and Lucero in 2001), the band came into it's own with their 2002 record, fittingly titled Tennessee. Ripe with gritty, punk-inspired country songs, delivered with a heartfelt desperation by smoky-throated frontman/guitarist Ben Nichols, the album ranges from mid-tempo ballads of heartbroken lament ("Slow Dancing") to more upbeat odes to the brighter side of love ("Ain't So Lonely"), Tennessee is sure to please fans of the alt-country genre who have maybe missed this band before, and perhaps even convert a few people new to the genre.
Tennessee contains many notable high points, one of which is the slow-burning "I'll Just Fall," which features a near hypnotic violin hook that compliments the song's heart-on-sleeve mood. "Nights Like These," another choice cut, begins with Nichols sentimentally crooning, "It's nights like these / That make me sleep all day / It's nights like these / That make you feel so far away," and it soon erupts into an instantly catchy chorus, laced with a subtle Hammond B3 organ behind the bright, distorted open chords. Track seven, "Fistful Of Tears," serves as a nice midway point for the album, featuring simply piano and Nichols' vocals.
The album does have its low points though, but thankfully they are few. "When You're Gone" is the most obvious of these, as while it's not a bad song by any means, it does feel like filler amongst the other thirteen tracks. "Sweet Little Thing," the album's opening track, also feels a little lightweight, and while also not a bad song, it doesn't do a very good job of kicking off the record. Tennessee does however, close on a good note with the back-to-back love songs "Into Your Eyes" and "My Best Girl," the former being sung to a woman while the latter is an ode to the guitar, finding Nichols singing "She's my best girl / She's got six strings / And she knows all about these heart breakin' things / No her eyes might not shine / But she's always by my side." And though the prospect might seem corny or trite, it comes of as a surprisingly honest paean written from the perspective of a lonesome romantic, who can find solace in his instrument, something many musicians should be able to relate to.
Rounded out by secondary guitarist Brian Venable, bassist John C. Stubblefield, and drummer Roy Berry, Lucero firmly asserted their status as one of alt-country's finest acts with Tennessee, and continued to do so with each subsequent release. If you're interested in becoming acquainted with their catalog, or are looking for an opportunity to reach into the alt-country genre, Tennessee is a fine starting point.
01. Sweet Little Thing
02. Slow Dancing
03. Nights Like These
04. Ain't So Lonely
05. Old Sad Songs
06. Chain Link Fence
07. Fistful of Tears
08. Last Song
09. When You're Gone
10. I'll Just Fall
11. Here at the Starlite
12. Darby's Song
13. Into Your Eyes
14. My Best Girl
Son Volt, Drive-By Truckers, The Hold Steady, Uncle Tupelo, The Gaslight Anthem
myspace.com/lucero (http://www.myspace.com/lucero)
Record Label: Madjack Records
Release Date: September 24, 2002
Formed in 1998 in Memphis, Tennessee, Lucero have become one of the premier acts in the alternative-country genre, often overlooked by the mainstream media. After releasing two albums (The Attic Tapes in 2000 and Lucero in 2001), the band came into it's own with their 2002 record, fittingly titled Tennessee. Ripe with gritty, punk-inspired country songs, delivered with a heartfelt desperation by smoky-throated frontman/guitarist Ben Nichols, the album ranges from mid-tempo ballads of heartbroken lament ("Slow Dancing") to more upbeat odes to the brighter side of love ("Ain't So Lonely"), Tennessee is sure to please fans of the alt-country genre who have maybe missed this band before, and perhaps even convert a few people new to the genre.
Tennessee contains many notable high points, one of which is the slow-burning "I'll Just Fall," which features a near hypnotic violin hook that compliments the song's heart-on-sleeve mood. "Nights Like These," another choice cut, begins with Nichols sentimentally crooning, "It's nights like these / That make me sleep all day / It's nights like these / That make you feel so far away," and it soon erupts into an instantly catchy chorus, laced with a subtle Hammond B3 organ behind the bright, distorted open chords. Track seven, "Fistful Of Tears," serves as a nice midway point for the album, featuring simply piano and Nichols' vocals.
The album does have its low points though, but thankfully they are few. "When You're Gone" is the most obvious of these, as while it's not a bad song by any means, it does feel like filler amongst the other thirteen tracks. "Sweet Little Thing," the album's opening track, also feels a little lightweight, and while also not a bad song, it doesn't do a very good job of kicking off the record. Tennessee does however, close on a good note with the back-to-back love songs "Into Your Eyes" and "My Best Girl," the former being sung to a woman while the latter is an ode to the guitar, finding Nichols singing "She's my best girl / She's got six strings / And she knows all about these heart breakin' things / No her eyes might not shine / But she's always by my side." And though the prospect might seem corny or trite, it comes of as a surprisingly honest paean written from the perspective of a lonesome romantic, who can find solace in his instrument, something many musicians should be able to relate to.
Rounded out by secondary guitarist Brian Venable, bassist John C. Stubblefield, and drummer Roy Berry, Lucero firmly asserted their status as one of alt-country's finest acts with Tennessee, and continued to do so with each subsequent release. If you're interested in becoming acquainted with their catalog, or are looking for an opportunity to reach into the alt-country genre, Tennessee is a fine starting point.
01. Sweet Little Thing
02. Slow Dancing
03. Nights Like These
04. Ain't So Lonely
05. Old Sad Songs
06. Chain Link Fence
07. Fistful of Tears
08. Last Song
09. When You're Gone
10. I'll Just Fall
11. Here at the Starlite
12. Darby's Song
13. Into Your Eyes
14. My Best Girl
Son Volt, Drive-By Truckers, The Hold Steady, Uncle Tupelo, The Gaslight Anthem
myspace.com/lucero (http://www.myspace.com/lucero)