'Ain't no clouds in the sky. But if you look just right you see a rainbow...'
Coming up to the end of January and great, new records for 2017 are already piling up nicely. Like this for instance, Luck Man a side project from San Francisco's Fresh & Only's Tim Cohen and a pure gem. Solo albums from band members generally shape up as modest affairs but this is an exquisite record, using smallness as a specific virtue. It's occupied by busy, lovingly arranged songs that promise to unpack ever greater surprises and delights with repeated plays. But that's a pleasure ahead.
Full of the thoughts, vague unease and spontaneous happiness of modern living that succeed each other in all of our minds as we make our way down the more mundane pathways that life lays out for us as day succeeds day. But there's beauty in that as Cohen knows well. On the cover he stares out at us, unkempt hair, unruly beard, unironed shirt, an ordinary fellow pushing middle age but an artist nonetheless.
As for the music, it's that warm, melodic well trodden path, going all the way back to the Lovin' Spoonful, The Beatles, The Byrds, Simon & Garfunkel, at one point Leonard Cohen through Belle & Sebastian to now. The album gets better the more I give myself up to it. I may have to write more about it at a later date. In the meantime on a couple of listens it's still mighty fine. January's not all bad!
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