Customer Reviews

1372 Overton Park

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

To those of you who already love Lucero, this review is not for you. You have already bought this album, and are simply reading this review because you love Lucero too.

If you are new to this band, and you find yourself asking, "I wish I could find other bands that meet the high standards of Drive-By Truckers, The Bottle Rockets, or Ryan Bingham." Or if you are one of the many that thought great music has not been written in decades, please do yourself a favor and buy this album. You will love it, you will become a huge fan and buy all of their other albums, and you will ask yourself, "Why have I not heard of Lucero before."

There is no reason to talk about the tracks on this album or any Lucero album. Ben Nichols writes about booze, lost love, and the South. Once again, if you have come this far, and you like what you hearing, you will be eternally happy that you spent $10 on this album. You will be eternally happy that you spent $50 on their entire catalogue. You will just be happy.

I have to say that when I first heard about Lucero using horns in their songs for their new record, 1372 Overton Park, I was a bit curious and not entirely thrilled at the prospect.

Then I heard the demos and I still wasn't too thrilled, but it wasn't as bad as I had imagined it might be.

Then I got the full CD and it all made sense. The songs wouldn't be the same without the horns or the organ. It might take a little while for some longtime Lucero fans to get used to, but I think it's a pretty good change of direction for the band.

For those worried about how they might sound now that they're on a major label, the good news is that they're pretty much the same Lucero that they've always been. Their sound has matured, but that's nothing new, really. Each album since "That Much Further West" has contained within some musical maturation, so the addition of horn arrangements is just the next step in the Memphis rock/soul direction.

Many of the songs are similar lyrically to other Lucero songs, but that's not really a bad thing if you're a fan of Ben Nichols' lyrics (or comics).

The top songs on the album (in my view) are: Smoke, What Are You Willing to Lose, The Devil and Maggie Chascarillo, Sixes and Sevens, Johnny Davis and Halfway Wrong. The weakest songs are probably Darken My Door and Hey Darlin' Do You Gamble? Keep in mind that by "weak" I really just mean they're not as great as the other songs; they're still better than 90% of the crap that passes for music today.

Overall, I really dig this new CD by Lucero and I think it might be their best one since 2003 and that's not knocking Nobody's Darlings or Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers, because both are awesome...1372 Overton Park is just better.

And if Lucero is going to be in your town this fall (and they probably will be), go see them. They put on an absolutely incredible show and anyone that has ever been knows what I'm talking about.

It seems as if some people are skeptical about Lucero including horns on this record. The manifestation horns is likely the result of the band having a proper advance to record the album. Sure, Universal/Republic has a ton of teabag scars decorating their chins, but their signing of Lucero is worthy of props.

This band is the real deal.
Good guys/good music.

If you've not previously heard how horns would be a natural extension of their sound, you might have missed a key ingredient.
Worry not.
The horns integrate seamlessly.

For newbies, this band is simply a reliable punk/country/rock band that works the circuit relentlessly with killer shows.
They pour their hear & soul into their gigs.

Hit the boys up at the gigs & buy the new guys (the horns) some drinks - hopefully their live sound is only recently suffering because of having to fit three new musicians into the mix (moreso than label influence.)

Loose and fast, boys - loose and fast!

Hey Universal/Republic, ever hear of A&R?
It's Artists and Repertoire.
You signed 'em, now do right by 'em!
Develop 'em...(and not to simply "move units")
Ya'll don't have the guts to stick by an act - an antiquated idea, eh?

Lust for the dollars, die by the dollar.

Sturdy songwriting, over time, pays dividends.

I've been a fan of Lucero ever since their first album came out. I've seen them live a bunch of times. At certain points I have considered them my favorite band.

This album is awful. It is an over-produced, over-arranged, multi-layered, sloppy audio burrito, with way too many instruments, background singers, horns, and pianos-- a giant cacophony of useless extra garbage layered over songs that, as far as I can even tell (because they are literally hard to hear as they are drowning in sound), are actually quite uninspired. There are so many condiments and spices loaded and sprinkled on top this musical food that the flavors have completely cancelled each other out and what is more, it seems like the recipe was fatally flawed from the get-go.

This music sounds like doctors hatched a mentally challenged offspring from the DNA of Bruce Springsteen at his most excessive post- Born in the USA period with Bruce Hornsby and the Range, mixed with a squirt of from John Cougar Mellancamp...except, you know, without the decent songwriting skills of those three performers.

Total epic failure.

This is a different direction for them. They've added horns. The feel of it is still undeniably Lucero though. It has a ton of good songs on it. Most notable are 'Can't Feel a Thing', 'What Are You Willing To Lose?', 'Hey Darlin Do You Gamble', and 'Mom'. Other good ones are 'Smoke', 'Sound of the City', 'Goodbye Again', 'Johnny Davis', and 'Darken My Door'. Because of the horns, this album will have to grow on me. But I'm liking it so far. It is a must have for all Lucero Fans and an album that fans of Two Cow Garage, Slobberbone, My Morning Jacket, Gaslight Anthem, Alkaline Trio, Marah, and Macon Greyson should check out. Also fans of real rock and roll mixed with a little punk and country need to listen to.

The sixth studio album by Lucero is really a classic (that nobody will ever hear). They rock with vigor with some great memphis horns and play some great ballads here as well. The rockers are the classic to be "Smoke", "What Are You Willing To Lose" the horns really make this song, "The Devil And Maggie Chascarillo", "Johnny Davis", "Sixes And Sevens", "Sounds Of The City" some fine keys and horns, mid tempo rocker "Can't Feel A Thing" and the slower songs "Darken My Door", "Hey Darlin' Do You Gamble" and the meaningful "Mom". Ben Nichols' vocals heartfelt throughout. Produced by Ted Hutt who has done the last two Gaslight Anthems. A solid album by these Memphis rockers.

Album after album of hook-laden alt-country gems. Smart, heartfelt lyrics sung by a singer who sounds like his lungs need cleaning out with a bottlebrush. A whole catalog of instant toe-tappers and head-bangers and these guys can't catch a cold, much less the kind of widespread recognition that lesser bands, like Kings of Leon and My Morning Jacket, seem to stumble into. Oh well. "1327 Overton Park" is a great Lucero record. Yes, it has horns on it. No, they aren't too obtrusive. I can quibble with the mix, but hey, I'm just happy to have more Lucero to listen to. This album doesn't break much new ground but it does a fine job of making the argument that Lucero is a band that deserves to be much, much bigger than it is.

I only first heard of Lucero about a month ago. I am a huge Springsteen fan, and I have to say that this band really reminds me of early Bruce Springsteen music. "Smoke" and "What are you willing to lose" are my two favorite songs on the album, but really, the album is fantastic from start to finish. You can't go wrong getting this album.

This album is simply incredible. I've been listening to Lucero for quite some time and I must say that this album is incredibly different from their previous work. The have horns, it's emotional, and Ben Nichols has solidified his role as the Tim Armstrong of southern rock and roll.

Buy it right now.

Lucero has been "in the van" for years putting on awesome shows. I am a huge fan and have driven for hours just to see them live. This album is typical "Lucero" (that is a good thing BTW) but also shows what great musicians they are. It is a great album, maybe one of their best so far, starts strong right from the start, I love Good Bye again and the horns, oh the horns... And they close the album out with two of my favorites- Hey Darlin, do you gamble? and Mom. Well done Lucero! I expect this will be an album I listen to again and again...