South coast introspection
“Lesbia” is taken off Lucky Jim’s well received, guitar based debut LP from May of this year and for Skint Records the licensing of this track marks a further step away from the big-beat buffoonery they made their name with. In fact it couldn’t be further away from that recent, tiring Fatboy Slim release: ya know, the one that sounded like Bill Gates repeatedly shouting in your ear whilst stamping on your foot.
This is a rather delicate and intricate 7min gem awash with sweeping strings, captivating piano and fervent, pleading romanticism. Gordon Graham’s voice is uncannily like Neil Diamonds at times, which is strange seeing as he comes from Scotland. He’s either committed the unpardonable sin of affecting an American accent or he’s been listening to far too much Americana and is naturally morphing into a bizarre amalgamation of Stetson and Sporran.
The EP also includes a rather needless cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, needless because Jeff Buckley took that record and pretty much made it his own and so any straight forward interpretation is bound to suffer badly by comparison.
Rather more engaging is the taster from their new LP in the form of “Somewhere up ahead”. Here, the emotive string/ piano elements of “Lesbia” are distilled into 3 mins with real panache. Added to this are Graham’s lyrics of ill-fated love and vocal intonations that are reminiscent of that world weary, hoary old goat, Lee Hazlewood.
The end result is as blissful as it is promising for what Lucky Jim have to offer in the near future.