If you tried to count the number of gifted young musicians with a thousand song ideas in their head, playing and recording them in a number of bands, and even more by themselves in their bedrooms, you’d probably get quite a sizeable number. Most of their great songs never leave their bedroom tape recorder (these days probably their computer). Some scrape the money to issue a record themselves. After that, it is like throwing a coin into that famous fountain in Rome - and if something happens, it happens. Unfortunately, usually, it doesn’t.
Luke Reed, a guy somewhere from Massachusetts (Somerville, Mass. To be precise), went and is still going that route. But he might have a glimmer of luck with his album Won’t Be There. He went that whole route - played in bands like Bent Shapes and Mini Dresses (anybody?), and would still end up in his bedroom to record a gamut of songs through a number of years, hoping they’ll not end up simply for his pleasure. Came up with a bunch of them and put them out as this album last summer.
But then, at least somebody listened because instead of dying a quiet death, the album got a chance to be reissued this year, with some of the songs being new and freshly recorded. Whoever did that new exactly when to put it out - ahead of the summer. And they should really be thanked because everything about Luke Reed’s music spells summer. But then, if you think it means something not really that consequential, you are wrong. Whether Reed has made these at the spur of the moment makes no difference. All these songs have a head and a tail and are well thought out, and most important of all are really listenable, and the title song definitely deserves a single treatment.
Some of the songs do have that “home recording” feel, but that doesn’t make a difference - Sudden, for example, is a tune that sounds like somebody singing under a tree in the shade with summer heat all around, coming on as a form of true refreshment. But then while some songs sound like they have more studio polish than other, they all have that summer vibe charm that will come in quite handy at any time of the year.
Personally, I’m glad somebody decided to resurrect this one, will be on the playlist often in the coming months.
