It’s been a long week with a near relentless procession of doom metal and urban hardcore albums beating my ears into near submission so could “Bloom” by Luke Jackson provide a somewhat soothing alternative to the daily sonic assault?
Indeed he could for his album is about as good a demonstration of the art of being a sensitive singer songwriter on the cusp of the downward spiral into imminent maturity as you are likely to get. Most of the songs on this album duly run at a most leisurely pace to thus leave plenty of time to ponder the deeper meaning of his sentimentally sourced lyrics and even when Luke Jackson kicks it up a gear – as he does in “Curse The Day” – he never sounds like he would ever or forever become a danger to your ears. Quite the contrary for, with occasional diversions into the blues and Americana genres, he has little difficulty in ticking all the style boxes that will appeal to festival goers of, you know of whom I speak, a certain age.
Luke Jackson bangs his own drum with purpose with this album and the care he has taken with his lyrics allows the closer inspection, and perhaps introspection, necessary to turn his stories into the kind of songs that will resonate with many.