Lukather’s masterpiece!
2021. Covid era, the world is trying to heal, social distancing, masks, parts of the house we have never seen before, no live music, no restaurants, a long, long list of NO.
This should be the moment of silence but thanks to God it’s not: the 26th february 2021 Steve Lukather’s new album has found the sun (again).
Here you have the front cover, very simple, slightly vintage mugshot style as he wanted, 8 jawbreaking tracks :
1.Along For The Ride
2. Serpent Soul
3. The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
4. Journey Through
5. Welcome To The Club
6. I Found The Sun Again
7. Run To Me
8. Bridge Of Sighs
This solo album comes out 8 years after Transition, and 45 years of career with ToTo, thousand of session as a studio guitarist with incredible musicians like Paul Mc Cartney, Ringo Starr (he also plays in the majestic “Ringo All Star Band since 9 years!) Michael Jackson, Joe Cocker, Cher, Earth Wind & Fire, Barbra Streisand, Santana, Beck, America, Elton John, just to name someone, and many musical projects like Los Lobotomis, Nerve Bundle and Toxic Monkey.
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His passion was born on 9th february 1964, on the Ed Sullivan Show he heard and saw the Beatles for the first time and touched him deep.
The whole band sounded like “aliens landed on the backyard” and since that moment he wanted to be like him and play guitar.
And he did: he was a little kid but music was his priority, played in a band since 9 years old and never give up.
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Luke was coming out from the darkness, because in the last incarnation of TOTO problems weren’t missing: a tough lawsuit, David Paich could not tour anymore for health problems, Steve Porcaro didn’t want to and 45 years were a blessing for an incredible career on the road but in the same time he missed his four kids so bad.
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The new album was recorded just a few weeks the world stopped in 2020, the band he played with is really oustanding, we have David Paich on horgan and piano, Gregg Bissonette on the drums, Jeff Babko on keybord , Jorgen Carlsson and John Pierce on the bass, Joseph Williams helped with the vocals and last but not least.. Ringo Star on the drums and tambourine in “Run to Me”.
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Eight tracks in eight days.
Yes, you read it right.
No reharsal, no demos, no click tracks, no pro tools, just real live performances, fast and not overproduced.
He just doubled guitar, added acoustic guitar and the lead vocals (at night! One song in one day!!)
This is a soulful, powerful, passionate album in which Lukather says there’s no perfection (that’s blasphemy my friends.. or something really close to it !) because he wanted to keep it real, like something you can’t just program.
You find three cover song in this album, and they were chosen first of all and set the tone for the music:
“The low spark of the high heeled boys” by Traffic, “Welcome to the club” by Joe Walsh and “Bridge of sights” by Robin Thrower.
It’s the album you wait like kids wait for Christmas gift, Lukather capture the essence of the 1970 with 2020 sound.
In a music world where CDs all sound the same, this is a pearl in a box full of stones.
A honest album, no mask on , no make up, just experience and a great love for music no matter the genre, a rock album with a jazz mentality.
And it’s terribly beautiful, the songs keep playing in your head as soon as they are over, Luke ‘s hands on that guitar are pure, genuine poetry.
Talking about equipment :the guitar Luke has played in this album is the LUKE III Earnie Ball MusicMan, color maple green, MusicMan pickups, Bogner Helios Amp and Yamaha Acoustic.
Let’s see track by track this masterpiece.
1.ALONG FOR THE RIDE
Written by Lukather, Lynch and Babko clarify that rock and roll is not dead, it’s definately alive and feeling pretty good.
An homage to the WHO, it’s a song that make you wanna pump up the volume in your car and go (then you remember of the quarantine and decide to stay home, anyway, nothing that good aircuffs can’t fix, f**ing virus!!!)
The lyrics of this first (and the second too!) song are about the struggle he went through these last years.
The main feeling in the album is “oh no it’s over!! I wanna listen to it all day long in loop!!” but also “how talented can a human being can be to do something like that in 8 days?”
2. SERPENT SOUL
As you continue to wonder how can songs like this can be all cut live, the second song pays its tribute to the early 70’ music.
Luke just wanted to see if can still do it the old fashioned way (and I assure he does really can!)
The touch on that piano is really recognizable, it’s David Paich, he’s simply a Maestro.
It’s the second single and you can also see a beautiful video, full of photos from the studio here:
3. THE LOW SPARK OF THE HIGH HEELED BOYS.
First cover on the album, this Traffic’s song is turning 50 years old in 2021.
Lukather himself had this record and played ever since he was a boy.
Luke substituded the sax with the guitar, we have Paich on the Hammond, you feel like you are in a jazz club, dimmed light, these incredible musicians jammin so effortless and soulful.
10 minutes 35’ are just not enough.
4. JOURNEY THROUGH
An instrumental one written by Jeff Babko, it’a naked, raw song, one take.
There’s a lot of improvisation, you can clearly feel it’s a rock album with a jazz mentality.
Luke’s hands keep telling tales on that guitar I am never getting bored of.
You can feel all the experience, the taste, the genious.
It’s also slighly sensual, never banal and timeless.
Whoa, Luke!
5. WELCOME TO THE CLUB
The second cover : a song by Joe Walsh, Luke decided to make it listen to the author himself who appreciated it and gave him an A++++.
More pictures here: http://www.stevelukather.com/pictures.aspx
And the great Walsh is so right, Lukather put a spell on this song and it’s really alive, the band is sounding so damn good and the vocals are able to scratch and caress in the same time the listener’s soul in a unique way.
Paich on piano.. hands like butterlflies sounding like a dream.
6. I FOUND THE SUN AGAIN
Here we are with the song who named the album.
A beautiful dedication to Luke’s girfriend , Amber.
The words of a man who suffered loneliness for a long time and finally found someone to share his life with and shine again.
Lyrics full of hope and love,the guitar is a breeze of fresh air and it’s the third single and you can also watch the video here (you will recognize Joseph William’s touch in it)
Luke has finally found the sun again and for a moment we are all falling in love with him too, thanks to the incredible music he plays and the wonderful man he is, but let’s go on.
7. RUN TO ME
This track was written by Lukather, Paich and Williams for Ringo Starr 80th birthday as a present, (Luke is since 9 year so far in “Ringo All Star Band”, Ringo is a legend but also a close friend for him).
Way too beautiful and “Beatly” to remain just a present hidden in a drawer, Ringo said he was ok to put it on the tracklist on the new album and also played drums and tambourine on it.
The lyrics are so beautiful and full of love, the song is written thinking about the daughters of the autors.
It’s the first single released and the video was made by Williams , it’s really ironic and you can see it here:
8. BRIDGE OF SIGHS
A live session, three minutes longer than the original by Robin Thrower, in which Luke feels like a kid in the studio again.
The guitar is a thunder, Paich does a Jawdropping solo on the organ, it’s so overwhelming, so powerful and incredibly intense.
You just can’t believe the album is over, because is not only an album, it’s pretty much a sensorial experience, just like sensorial tasting of different fine chocolates.
Something I really high recommend to any Music lover, because here you can find professional music , non artificial, timeless musicians who will let you dream for 50 plus precious minutes.
You can buy this masterpiece here:
Do I have to add that it’s a 100/10 rate ?
Do I have to say this album is something you will never heard nowadays?
I could say Luke is a living legend but I won’t, because he’s really humble and never takes himself too seriously, he has a kind heart and a precious soul.
Not just a superb Musician but an extraordinary human being.
Let me know if you heard it.
Loud!!!
Marica ,Oltrerock!