What On Earth
Come To Life, 2020
8/10
A modern day protest singer, Luke Wallace takes the political spirt of legends like Woody Guthrie and places it in modern day indie-rock ideas, where memorable choruses and breezy folk sensibilities are never in short supply on the well thought out What On Earth.
“Biosphere” starts the listen with warm intimacy as Wallace’s smooth pipes guide the gentle folksy setting that builds into a sing-along near the end, and “Jetlag” follows with gentle acoustic strumming that’s full of calm melodies as the wordplay questions the motivations of the world’s leaders.
In the middle, “Passing Through” swirls with organic beauty amid the introspective atmosphere, while “The Permit Song” allows Wallace’s strong vocal skills to shine in the subdued and rhythmic album highlight. “Sons And Daughters”, another standout tune, then stays breathy and agile with a light and airy demeanor.
Towards the end, “Devices” has the troubadour entering raw territory with just a bare acoustic guitar and his genuine pipes, and “Pale Kids” exits the listen with meticulous guitar picking alongside some very topical lyrical themes about today’s socially unjust climate.
A prolific artist, this is Wallace’s 5th release, and the Canadian is quickly proving that his songwriting prowess is both eloquent and insightful, as it never comes off as preaching and instead enlightens with poetic beauty.
Travels well with: Possessed By Paul James- As We Go Wandering; Mark Erelli- Blindsided