Luke Tuchscherer - Pieces

Just over a year ago former Whybird Luke Tuchscherer released his second solo album, 'Always Be True’. In the sleeve notes for his recently released third solo album, ‘Pieces’, Luke writes that this latest collection “rocks out in a way that I haven’t since The Whybird days” even though “it’s got some ballads.” Luke also reveals that the seven rock songs at the heart of the album were recorded live in one day, the day before ‘Always Be True’ was released in fact, at the music centre in Bedford. The band certainly captured a hard-rocking sound that day; the sound of a band putting their all into each and every sound and word, it’s difficult to believe that it was all captured in one day. A Crazy Horse/Neil Young vibe was heard at times on ‘Always Be True’ and it’s fair to say that has been expanded upon on the rock tracks on ‘Pieces’. Or to be even more accurate those who remember and loved the songs that Ian McNabb cut with Crazy Horse will find more of the same classy, well produced but raw rock here with blistering guitar solos and thoughtful lyrics. The opening song, ‘Sudden Getaway’. literally shreds the speakers while never losing sight of a melody that hits the spot instantly. The following ‘Company Girl (Needs a Company Man)’ follows in the same vein. But it’s not only the scorching guitar solos that take your breath away; the vocals are something else. According to the notes all the vocals on these opening songs are by Luke with help from Chris Corney and they are simply first class. The third song in, ‘The MF Blues’, not unsurprisingly, adds a blues flavour to the mix. Then it’s straight back into Crazy Horse/McNabb territory for ‘Ain’t That What They Say?’. Articulating what many feel “at this age it seems to me it’s getting harder to be free/To be who we wanted to be” again Luke proves that. apart from writing melodies that hit hard and take an age to fade from your mind, his lyrics are just as powerful. ‘Charing Cross’ is the first song where the tempo is really slowed down on the album. A ballad full of regret again the vocal performance is brilliant, Luke’s harmonica playing squeezing even more emotion out of his sorrow. The guitar solo that closes the song expresses just as much grief as Luke’s vocals. It’s back to rock Luke for ‘Batten Down the Hatches’ although this song displays Luke’s poppier leanings. It’s another melody that is impossible to resist and those vocals are again amazing. ‘Ghosts’ adds a slight Springsteen influence and would be the highlight in an album of little gems if it were not for the song that follows, ‘Requiem’. This nine-minute politically-charged tirade really could have been plucked from a Young/Crazy Horse album. It’s that good. There’s even a mention of privatising the NHS that results in the line “We can make it better/But now you’ve got to pay”; powerful lyrics matched by even more powerful playing. The closing track, ‘See You When I See You’, is a touching tribute to Luke’s former band, the Whybirds. “But nothing we were promised came our way/Some of us got married, some of us had kids/But none of us sold out nor wished we did,” sings Luke in a world-weary voice, but the song ends on a positive note with “Once more for old time’s sake/Let’s hit that road together while the world goes up in flames.” It’s a fitting end to an album that shows not only Luke bearing his soul and maybe making the album he’s always felt was inside him but which also shows him at the top of his game. Even with so much great new music currently out there it’s no exaggeration to say that ‘Pieces’ must feature in those best of 2018 end of year lists.