Customer Reviews

Eleven Songs

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Luka Bloom is back with another great album, a collection of songs he penned recently in the context of the great economic collapse. Luka leads off with the slow "There Is a Time," which addresses those dealing with pride and isolation, questioning "...the wars you wage with no one."

Then comes one of his fantastic up-tempo songs, "I'm On Your Side," which is the source of the title of my review, and you know why you love Luka Bloom! "I Love the World I'm In" and "Fire" are two more stand-out high energy songs. "Fire" notes that "[e]verybody's online where nothing is real, big ****ing deal -- where's the fire now?" and proclaims a faith that "...a bright new flame is simmering deep inside there." The album closes with the inspiring "Don't Be Afraid of the Light That Shines Within You," which is easy to imagine being sung live by a huge arena or stadium full of people.

I've been aware of Luka ever since "Delirious" on Riverside back in 1990, but I've only become a dedicated fan in the last few years. His last recording, Tribe (2007 -- see my review), moved away from traditionalist folk and apparently made some fans unhappy, though I found the Peter Gabriel-esque sound created by producer Simon O'Reilly to be excellent.

But ELEVEN SONGS returns to the more traditional sound of the previous albums Innocence (2005 -- see my review) and Between the Mountain and the Moon (2002), both of which are superb.

Luka is one of the best of our time, so don't miss him!

Luka Bloom has had several highs and lows during his career. Starting with his 1st CD "Riverside" he quickly reach genius with his 2nd CD "The Acoustic Motorbike" cruising with "Turf", Salty Heaven", and "Keeper of the Flame", he once again reach another pinnacle of genius with "Between the Mountain and the Moon". He then had problems with his hands so he slowed down with "Before Sleep Comes" and "Innocence", and reached his low point with a new producer with "Tribe" which didn't sound like Luka Bloom at all, more like a REM rip off. Happy to write that his older beloved style is back, but the words are not up to pare. Yet it's well worth to hear some true Celtic Folk Rock from one of the most talented artists out there.

This is what folk music should sound like! Once again, Luka Bloom has presented a masterful production of beautifully crafted music. The simplicity and directness of the recording process acts to emphasize the power of the potent songs while personalizing the more intimate tunes. If you're a bit tired of the music you've been listening to lately and are feeling adventurous, pick up this CD and give it a spin. You won't regret it.