Luke Daniels - Singing Ways To Feel More Junior

  by Steve Kinrade

published: 17 / 1 / 2018

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Review

Luke Daniels is clearly an accomplished singer-songwriter and musician, with an extensive back catalogue stretching back to his auspicious start when he became a BBC award winner at a young age. This is an album which was intended for “grown ups”, as Daniel himself admits, and through his compositions he addresses such adult themes as addiction, gender equality ('The House That Jack Built') and even child consumerism. Indeed he even uses children playground rhymes to illustrate the point, which can be seen in the album opener 'Penny in the Slot'. Again, this an album which demonstrates Daniels’ considerable compositional, production and arrangement skills. For instance, the composition 'Strange Power', which displays a beautiful strong melancholic vocal performance, beautifully backed by piano, violin and pedal steel. The close harmonies are particularly successful. The jaunty arrangement of 'Elizabeth Trump & Sons' belies the seriousness of its subject matter. 'A Berkshire Lad' sees us more in traditional folk territory, which wouldn’t be out of place on an early Fairport Convention album. However, the diversity of production comes into its own with the opening of 'What Becomes a Gilgamesh', which starts with an Indian inspired soundscape and a scrubby Guthrie vocal sample. This really is a most inspired track, banjo playing over an intricate drum pattern, a certain stand out track. And to demonstrate eclecticism, the album ends with a lovely warm jazzy cover of Stevie Wonder’s 'Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing' from the acclaimed 'Innervisions' album. 'Singing Ways to Feel More Junior' demonstrates his artistry, and builds upon the 2015’s excellent 'Tribute to William Hannah', successfully showing the diversity of Daniels. This is an album for the fireside, to accompany you and your loved ones on dark winter nights. It is a great introduction for those who are new to Luke Daniels, and affirmation for those of us who are fully acquainted.

Track Listing:-

1 Penny in the Slot
2 Only Love I'll Leave to You
3 The House That Jack Built
4 Singing Ways to Feel More Junior
5 Let's Not Waste Another Day
6 Strange Power
7 Elizabeth Trump & Sons
8 A Berkshire Lad
9 Trick of the Light
10 Better the Devil You Know
11 What Becomes of Gilgamesh
12 Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing

Band Links:-

http://www.lukedanielsmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/lukedanielsmu
https://twitter.com/lukedanielsfolk
https://www.youtube.com/user/lukedanie
https://plus.google.com/u/0/1175744031