Rathborne - Soft

  by Lisa Torem

published: 14 / 3 / 2015

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Luke Rathborne looks like a pop star, sings like a pop star and writes like one, too, so why I haven’t I heard of him before? I guess that was my initial reaction to his new release, ‘Soft’. There’s a familiar quality about his songs yet they don’t sound recycled or nostalgic. They sound fresh, youthful and full of yearning. Rathborne is from Maine, and he discovered his love of music only because a passer-by had left his guitar at his family’s residence there. By 16, he had recorded’ After Dark’ and just a few years later, he moved to New York, landing a gig in support of the Strokes - he would make a strong impression particularly on key band member, Albert Hammond, Jr., who serves as co-producer of this new release. ‘Soft’ has something for everyone. It’s impossible to gloss over bassist Darren Will’s genius for arrangement. The album is a mélange of punk overtones, skittish riffs, folk simplicity and wake-yourself-up already attitude. But don’t let the infusion of kick ass rhythms and rebel yells distract you from the deeper messages hidden here. Rathborne is a poet, yearning for a shoulder to cry on or for the kind of love only seen on the screen, and he won’t stop writing until he figures out the formula. ‘Soft’ contains a haunting restlessness, often lost in more sophisticated productions. Rathborne’s voice is immediately likeable and in the title song, more so, as he coos the hook so tenderly. ‘What More’ is scrumptiously heavy on the bass and back beat, ‘I’m So Tired’ triggers Buddy Holly style vocals and the middle eight fuses devil-may-care keys and vibrant turnarounds. Will’s demanding bass lines continue with confidence on ‘Eno’ - “If you look alright, you look alright,” Rathborne swoons. The lyrics are so simple; you can’t help but get into the groove. You’ll love the piano in ‘Deal’ but you may think you’re listening to The Band. There’s more gut connivery in ‘Low!’ with its lopsided logic: “You got to get it low/You got a way to go.” It’s a fantastic swirl of guitar, jumping bass and attitude. ‘Little Moment’ is a surprising contrast. This reflective ballad relies on beautiful harmonies and metaphor and epiphanies: “Hey, little moment/That’s exactly what I like.” “People just fall out of touch/You know, it’s just a fact.” The narrator declares his love, despite the confusion. In ‘Last Forgiven’, Rathborne’s voice sounds, at first, distant and reflective, but then it builds. A hypnotic solo adds excitement. The irksome sin of jealousy creates the theme of the very folk-like ‘I Wanna Be You’. ‘Why’comes full circle to Rathborne’s insistent ranting: “I suck, you suck, we suck together.” Oh, sweet, contemporary love! And the finale? It’s an excellent wrap. In fact, if Luke Rathborne and Lou Reed had a baby, they could easily name it after this country rock pleaser, ‘So Long NYC’ and it would sleep peaceably through the night.

Track Listing:-

1 Soft
2 What More
3 I'm so Tired
4 Eno
5 Low!
6 Little Moment
7 Last Forgiven
8 Wanna Be You
9 Deal
10 Why
11 So Long Nyc

Band Links:-

https://twitter.com/lukerathborne
https://www.facebook.com/lukerathborne

Label Links:-

http://www.truebelieversbelieve.com/

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