Review Summary: Feel the heat in your heart
As an Aussie, there is more to me then Steve Irwin, Crocodile Dundee and insects that can kill me. I don’t own a kangaroo and I have only ever seen koalas in the ZOO. I eat PRAWNS not SHRIMPS. I use tomato sauce and not ketchup. Just like little old me, there is more to the Australian Music Scene then the truly ICONIC one two punch of - ‘The Wiggles’ and ‘AC/DC’.
If you are familiar with Australia, and maps of the world you would know that we have this little offshoot that we in Australia like to call ‘Tassie’. People ask me, what is Tassie good for? Well I have been there twice and all I saw was the inside of pubs and well they served beer so yes – it was good. But in all seriousness, if someone asks me about ‘Tassie’ I have two words that I respond with: Luca. Brasi. NO – not the character from Mario Puzo’s Novel/Coppola’s film ‘The Godfather’.
Luca Brasi are a four-piece punk/pub rock band that wear their hearts on their sleeves and aren’t afraid to get REAL about life and what it all means. With two full lengths behind them when releasing ‘If This Is All We’re Going to Be’ (ITIAWGTB) there was a crossroads for the lads. Their earlier releases were all very punchy, unpolished and raw sounding but they had their fans (ME), but was it time to take the next step and try and reach for a larger audience? Yes. Yes it was. I for one, welcomed the change in sound to a more mature emotionally charged alt punk rock with hints of pop thrown in because let’s face it, we all love catchy songs.
Opening track ‘Aeroplane’ IS Luca Brasi through and through. From the impressive guitar interplay, the unmistakable voice of frontman/bassist Tyler crooning and lyrics that hit you right in the face ‘Aeroplane’ lays the blueprint for everything that ITIAWGTB is. The guitar interplay throughout the album is fascinating with both guitarist Tom and Pat really switching between rhythm and lead with ease, ‘The Cascade Blue’ having some nice runs and licks throughout. Bassist Tyler has some nice bass lines throughout and shines in ‘Treading Water’ with some P-H-A-T bass.
Lead Vocalist Tyler has a fantastic voice for what Luca are doing. His accent may be something of a hurdle for some, but to me it’s always good to hear an Aussie sound like an Aussie and not some Billy Joe rip off. Guitarist Pat has some nice vocal parts throughout ‘The Cascade Blues’ & ‘Anything Near Conviction’ featuring his vocals prominently and nicely.
Now the biggest thing that draws me to Luca are their lyrics. I can relate to them, and its coming from an accent that is also mine so maybe that’s why they hit harder than most. They are here to remind us that life is meant to be lived and that no matter what comes our way, you got to keep on moving. I could literally write down every lyric from this album and explain what it means to me but I’ll just leave my favorite little part from ‘The Cascade Blues’: which to me speaks about long summer days at the beach with mates who now have gone and not realizing at the time that maybe this was the best time I was going to have.
Let the salt knot your hair.
And dry out your skin.
Don’t let it go yet.
You feel it’s too good to lose.
Music is always better when you feel it. And damn, do I feel this.
Standout tracks:
‘The Cascade Blues’
‘Aeroplane’
‘Say It Back’
