Today we’re stoked to be premiering what we predict will become an instant gem in Aussie alternative music. Small Town is the new album from daze-rock wizard Luke Spook.
Small Town is the perfect ode to life in the village, recreating the distinct sense of sentimental character which one can only find in the nooks of crannies of a rural pastoral community.
For Luke Spook, there is no intention to create ‘old-sounding’ or throwback music, yet Small Town somehow captures the classic tones of defining ’60s psychedelia with a distinctively personal and refreshed musical approach. The whole album is charmingly Woodstocky with a few clever shakes of the sort of country and folk music you’d imagine was once played around a fire while the billy was boiling.
The album was recorded in Spook’s small-town shed studio, and the rustic character of the record, as well as the album’s visual aesthetic, certainly reflects that. It is wonderful to hear and see such an authentic construction of Spook’s lived experiences in a rural town, as opposed to listening to an album that borrows from the country and folk genres without knowing the lifestyles which produced these sounds to begin with. Having recorded and played almost all of the instruments on the album himself, it’s clear that Luke Spook has produced something organic, personal and incredibly refined in its specific musical scope.
Perhaps the most enticing element of Small Town is Spook’s lyricism, showcasing his truly original story-telling techniques. It is both fascinating and rewarding to hear diverse instrumental combinations such as the sitar and harmonica intertwined with interesting visual metaphors and stories from Spook’s travels abroad on tracks like All The King’s Horses and Renaissance Man.
Smalls Town is a wonderfully dynamic album. It’s a collection of songs that can be enjoyed as a piece of joyously atmospheric easy listening. However, it is also a record that offers itself to ongoing focused analysis which constantly reveals new and meaningful insights into the charming and enigmatic musical fabric which has weaved the artistic identity of Luke Spook.
Stream Small Town above. Grab yourself a vinyl copy of the album through Third Eye Stimuli.
Catch Luke Spook at 5 x 5 x 5: Happy Mag’s 5th Birthday on Friday, November 22nd at The Kings Cross Hotel. More info here.
