In case you did not know, today is a very important day. No, not because everyone is being all political and American and waving their “I Voted Today” stickers in the air, but because today a sweet punk rock band from Philadelphia by the name of Luther is celebrating their 2 year anniversary. That right folks, there are way more important things going on today other than this rich man presidential selection campaign bull mess.
In all seriousness though, Luther has a lot going for them and has grabbed a ton of attention since forming in 2010. The band caught my attention in a good way last year and their EP topped my Best Of 2011 list with Siblings & Sevens. Since that EP was released, they have toured non-stop and caught the attention of a little record label home of the Bouncing Souls. Recently, the band released their first full-length album entitled Let’s Get You Somewhere Else on, you guessed it, Chunksaah Records.
Without talking them up too much, I will say listening to Let’s Get You Somewhere Else brought back memories of me years ago when I first was introduced to bands like Hot Water Music, Jawbreaker, and even the Bouncing Souls. From the moment the album started, I was enthralled and wanted to immediately be their biggest fan. At my age that might sound a little far fetched, but what I am trying to say is that I got that same feeling of a musical satisfaction, you know, that great feeling of knowing you just listened to something not just good, but amazing.
Luther’s debut EP, Siblings & Sevens, really rubbed off to me as DIY punk rock album with some folky style sewn in and I absolutely loved everything about it. Let’s Get You Somewhere Else was an amazing follow-up with the band sounding like they just had fun creating all the songs while improving their sound as a band. From the moment “The Concrete Sound” started, you cold just hear the confidence the band had in recording the track. The track “Heavy Monday” really was just a fun song all around to listen to with plenty of lyrics that have flowed through my head once or twice at the beginning of a workweek.
I loved how “The Glory Bees” started off with a certain 90s rock feel only to transform into a catchy ass track. Maybe it was the mono-toned opening vocals that reminded me of yesteryear, but the song picked up and changed style in a good way. “Backyard Fence Appeal” kicked things up a bit with a faster paced track with “oh my good look at this mess around me” repeating throughout. How could I not like that track? I was singing along my first time in. “The Second Star” really was a deep track to listen to and I really dug the lyrics throughout. I especially loved the lyrics”rotting like an apple and bringing down the tree or so it goes that the devil is strong, the devil is right for turning on us and letting us lie here.”
All I have to say about “Rattlesnake” is that the recorded hand-claps were not necessary at all. Great track, but the only hand-claps that should be played during this song should be when the fans clap along when the song is played live. “A Quiet Stretch Of Weather” easily could have been derived from a Tim Barry track. The lyrics “I hope I don’ die when I’m forty” are repeated throughout and once again relate to something I have thought multiple times. I found myself really appreciating this track and almost wished more of their tracks carried the same brash poignant feeling.
I see really big things with Luther happening in the near future and it is easy for me to say that with Let’s Get You Somewhere being such an impressive release. This foursome contains a bunch of top-notch guys I have had the pleasure of seeing live before (of course there was a small delay due to their van crashing earlier last year before they were able to make it to Cleveland), and let me tell you, they do not disappoint. They have already won over tons of fans and I am sure there will be plenty more where that came from. Their Philly pals The Menzingers have already skyrocketed in the punk rock scene throughout 2012 and I know Luther will in no time as well based on their talent without riding a single coattail. If you like bands like the Sidekicks, Menzingers, Banner Pilot, Cheap Girls, and so on, you really should be checking Luther out.
Happy 2nd Anniversary boys. Keep up the great work.
Oh, and check out how bad ass their vinyl is:
Yea, I can be artsy…deal.
There is nothing in the world quite as mysterious as a relationship. From the start until the end, however it may conclude, we have all been there. There are easily a million songs that have been written over time about relationships and love. Some are positive tunes that end happily ever after, and then there are the ones that are straight up depressing with no light in the future for a resolution. We all know these songs, and honestly almost all of them were written because of love and heartache.
Not all jokes and tributes to movies, “Done With Love” was more serious about anti-love surrounded by riffs and hooks that made for one of my favorite tracks on the album. “Punk House Of Horror” was another track I really got a kick out of that had Teenage Bottlerocket just producing fun pop-punk music. “Never Going To Tell You” followed in the lines of something Screeching Weasel might have written without ripping them off one bit.