Lucero
That Much Further West
Tiger Style Records
By Jud Block
 Intense.
Powerful. Ominous. Exhilarating. Gut-wrenching. Phenomenal. Any
and all of these adjectives would accurately describe the music
of Lucero. This juggernaut out of Memphis, Tennessee, is quickly
becoming the most talked about best-kept secret in the musical
world, and rightly so. After two albums (Lucero and Tennessee)
filled with the types of songs that leave the listener physically
exhausted and emotionally drained, how they have escaped greater
renown is just slightly more than perplexing. Maybe if one of
the boys in the band's name was similar enough to an '80s rocker
that they could throw a megalomania-fueled tantrum every time
their carefully crafted fragile ego was bruised by the comparison,
then they'd get more press. But, unfortunately, such is not the
case, so Lucero is relegated to actually making good music and
hoping that people will eventually tire of the marketing of style
and turn to substance for once.
That Much Further West is the follow-up to the band's
excellent CD Tennessee, which apparently they found to
be a little overproduced, so West is a return to a sound
they feel has a more "raw and urgent quality." In my
opinion, the average GG Allin recording sounds less raw and urgent
than the most produced rumble of a song from Lucero, but I'm
neither in the band (who produced and engineered the disc) nor
a sound engineer, so I'll just resume my position in the talk-about-what-you-know-and-aside-from-that
keep-your-damn-mouth-shut line.
 That Much Further
West, as the title implies with its literary connotations
of death, is eleven songs - - well, technically, twelve tracks,
but the last one is a reprise of the title song - - from the
darker recesses of life. Loss, deception, resentment and betrayal
all leave their well-defined mark on these pieces. In the course
of three CDs the band has gone from the night before the morning
after to the regret illuminated by that morning light to facing
and dealing with the consequences of those actions as well as
the unforeseen valleys that life is so fond of throwing our way.
In other words, Lucero is not for the faint of heart or those
who think Linkin Park is really down wit' anguish, yo.
With a lumbering, gritty sound that manages to combine alacrity
with a nearly tangible weight, Lucero rolls through songs like
the title track, "That Much Further West," about a
lost love and a steady decline that may be in for a little assistance.
Out West the only sky is blue
So tell Kate that I'll see her soon
'Til then, the thoughts that I have left
Are that much further West
"Hate and Jealousy" has a sound reminiscent of Big
Country's heavier offerings - - complete with a higher range
guitar solo that weaves its way through grinding guitar work
that drives the song. You're going to want to fill the shot glass
to the rim before getting into the subject matter on this one.
It's about a man struggling with the rage and resentment he feels
after finding out that one of his children is the result of an
adulterous affair by his wife/girlfriend. Hell, you might want
to fill that shot glass a second time.
Helplessness just burns me up inside
I can't see the savior for the light
One of yours might not be right
I want nothin' that ain't truly mine
Lucero lightens things up a bit on "Tonight Ain't Gonna
Be Good," a song with a smirk about taking a gig that probably
would've been better left alone. Damn, I guess Charlotte, North
Carolina, did make an impression on these boys after all.
Tonight ain't gonna be good
With my back against the wall
I can hear 'em as they talk
You know it ain't no good
There's some girls in a corner booth
Well I pretended not to see
They're talkin' about me
You know it ain't the truth
Also on the disc is a fan favorite called "Tears Don't
Matter Much." It's a song that catalogues some deserving
musicians and includes a great line about Cory Branan, another
under-appreciated singer/songwriter from out Memphis way. And
I dare you to try and get the chorus out of your head without
taking the coward's route of a lobotomy.
That Much Further West is simply another strong addition
to an already stalwart canon of music from Lucero. If you're
a fan of Slobberbone or the Drive By Truckers and you haven't
heard Lucero yet, then I suggest you quit wasting time. You've
got three CDs worth of music to get caught up on. And if you're
just a fan of good music regardless of genre, That Much Further
West will leave you wondering why you haven't heard of these
guys before. Well, you don't have any excuses anymore because
now you have.
Young man or woman, head over to www.lucerofamily.net to learn more about
this amazing band and to buy some music you'll wonder how you
lived so long without.
Contact Jud Block at jud-at-rockzilla.net
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