It’s great to get an album which is eclectic in both influence and execution. With ‘Our Blood Is Red,’ Luke James Williams has delivered one very attractive effort. To label him as a singer songwriter is way off the mark, you get images of guys with delicate songs with delicate subject matter and a thousand neurosis, no such waffle here. In a time when we seem to be drowning in albums by bed sit bards ‘ Our Blood Is Red,’ comes as refreshment.
Opening ‘ This Says,’ is a decent slow building thing with a definitely English vocal, a driving almost Ed Sheeran rhythmic guitar, haunting electronics and ghosted female harmonies whilst ‘Vultures,’ is about greed and how it’s all too easy to fall into traps of consumerism, suckered by expectation into debts, that same urgent groove now taken up by bass and drums.
The whole album is intelligent and appealing, Williams has a world view which maybe questioning and not a little cynical, but he’s got melody and enticing production on his side, take a bow Nick Kozuch one resident of Hertfordshire, in fact mixer Alex Bush has helped craft the sound too and he deserves praise. I don’t think I’ve heard a recording so far this year which uses the contrast between intimacy and wide screen arrangements in a better way. To do so takes understanding and skill.
‘ Our Blood Is Red,’ has taken up residence on my CD player and if by now you have the idea that I like this lots then you’re quite right. Recommended heartily.
Steve Proctor.
lukejameswilliams.bandcamp.com
