CD REVIEW: Lucero’s latest album is good, but covers a lot of familar ground
The Southern rock band Lucero lives to rock and rocks to live, according to the biography on its Web site. Many bands might claim the same, but with Lucero, the claim actually rings true.
“Rebels, Rogues and Sworn Brothers” is Lucero’s sixth album of new material in the last six years since they debuted in 2001. While the album does not necessarily break any new ground for the band or for rock music, the band proves again that they are one of the better, hard-working, genuine rock-‘n’-roll bands around.
Lead singer Ben Nichols’ gravelly voice sounds as if it’s been performing late night gigs for a while now (which it has). He perpetually sounds as if he’s on the verge of losing his voice with his raspy, half-screamed vocals. It adds a sense of urgency to Lucero’s lyrics in songs about heartbroken people fighting to survive and endure desperate situations.
While this album has slightly more of a pop sheen than other Lucero albums, it still maintains its rough edge due to Nichols’ and Brian Venable’s harsh guitars dominating the songs.
Rick Steff, who has previously worked with many other blues and roots rock acts as well as Cat Power’s most recent CD, complements the songs with his piano, keyboard and organ backings, adding an extra layer to the songs which makes the slightly less rough sound work for the band.
Standout songs on the album balance the anthemic quality of some of their guitar-based music with the grounded authenticity of Southern rock and the driving energy of punk. When all these elements come together, such as in the album opener “When Else Would You Have Me Be?” and “The Mountain,” it makes for exciting rock ‘n’ roll.
The album’s primary fault doesn’t lie so much in the music or songs. There aren’t any dead weight songs on the CD, but the songs often fade together in their similarities. Songs that might be solid individually seem less exciting collectively when heard in combination with the albums of other similar-sounding songs.
When the band breaks back from their typical sound, such as on “1979” and the album closer, “She Wakes When She Dreams,” their songs stand out all the more. Both of these songs show a vulnerability and sweetness that, although not the norm for the band, are a welcome change that adds to the power of their heavier rock songs by contrast.
Tom Liljegren is a music critic for The Utah Statesman. Comments, questions and suggestions of CDs to review can be sent to tliljegren@cc.usu.edu.