Lazy, Summer Soundtrack
Brighton-based Luke Aaron Clark has released a ridiculously chilled out EP. This, his first, was recorded in Nashville, although he has resisted the tendancy to fill "Paper Tongue" with Country and Western. What he has tied these five songs together with is laziness. But not in a bad way.
Opener 'Oh Isn't Life Pretty' has a faux-Disney quality to it, with harmonicas and harmonies gambolling in the background to his clean vocals and acoustic guitar work. It's the scene in the animation where the glass slipper fits. All schmaltzy and absolutely no edge to it whatsoever. Not that Clark is seeking one. I got the impression that if he becomes known as the nerd who can play a song, he'd be quite happy.
Following that is what appears to be a track about a break up. 'Just OK' is incredibly simple, minor keys and strings backing a tortured voice which tries to let you in to the positives of a dissolution. It's somewhat forgettable and needs an extra something that would make it a little different. Now 'You' is another story altogether. Maintaining that trademark laconic pace, there are more layers and an authentic emotional vocal performance from him which prevents the track becoming sonic mush. It's a love song, but almost a credible one and probably a brilliant one to someone less cynical than me.
He brings in the backing twangs that country music favours on 'Peace in Our Lives' as he laments about "conflicts still going on". This is the slowest song of the five and has a defined un-British streak to it, with Clark showing that he can adapt to a bourbon-soaked style if he needs to.
The final track, 'Paper Story' has hints of Beirut on it, a more eccentric tone to the three minutes, with untamed strings and accordions giving a gypsy quality to the song. It's a rare moment of improvisation in what is quite a sanitised environment. It doesn't last long as he fades out on a positive note, highlighting the overall disposition of these five songs.
Your mileage may vary, but "Paper Tongue" is a record which you may need to be in a certain mindset to listen to. This is the comedown from a heavy weekend or the soundtrack to an evening with a loved one and a bottle of something intoxicating. If you like stuff loud and anarchistic, this isn't for you. Luke Aaron Clark is a singer who enjoys his role in the system, judging from this. Don't expect revolution, but what he does isn't a bad take on the archetypical bloke with a bit of plywood, some musical friends and a mic.