[rating=7.00]
“No longer motivated by fear”, sings Kevin Galloway on the opening track “The Light” off the new record of the same name from his band Uncle Lucius. Thought The Light is the band’s fourth record, its material is new territory for them. Having recently split from their label, their album was funded through crowdsourcing from their devoted fan base accumulated over many years of touring. The theme of starting over runs deep through the songs on The Light, and the instrumentals are graceful and bluesy. The title track is the strongest statement on the record, conveying the terrifying but liberating journey away from the corporate world of music and toward, well, the light.
Galloway’s voice is deep and soulful, sometimes country and sometimes old school R&B. “Age of Reason” finds him drawing out warm notes as he sings “We’re just scared/Of what we don’t know/So we use pride/Like a debt we owe.” So many of the songs on Light find the band in this particular state of mind – fear, uncertainty, trepidation, but mostly, courage, and Galloway communicates that thoughtfully and emotionally.
Other tracks like “Don’t Own the Right” and “Wheel’s in Motion” are similarly forward moving and fiercely independent. The latter has a particularly beautiful guitar melody, and some of the record’s softest, most nuanced singing, this time from keyboardist Jon Grossman. Though it could also be interpreted as a love song about heartbreak, it still carries that message of starting anew. “Don’t be afraid to change/ When your old skin seems so strange…Don’t be afraid to change your mind”, he sings his voice full of a rawness you just can’t fake. The experience of making this record seems to have been a painful one, even though it has a happy ending and they were able to shed whatever was holding them back. You can still hear the struggle in each note.
The songwriting on The Light is impressively cohesive. These songs fit together so well as a complete album, it’s clear that the band was hyper focused on what they were trying to say. It’s also evident that the plowed great depth within themselves to put into words all of their frustrations and all of their hopes for the future. Though Light often gets dark, it ultimately leaves you feeling like they’ll come out of it better than okay, and that this experience has already made them a stronger band.
Uncle Lucius are at their best when they’re at their smoothest. Their strengths are fluid, bluesy jams that never sound rushed. “Gulf Coast Gypsies” is a standout for its ease and warmth, and “No Time Flat” for its hopeful sweetness. “No Time Flat” is a heavy one, for sure, but also one of the most gorgeously written songs on The Light. It unfolds into a vibrant, catchy melody with driving guitars and strong, full harmonies. “Slow down/Just be here now”, Galloway sings passionately. If there’s going to be one takeaway from The Light, the uplifting message of this song is it. It’s about living in the present and being grateful for everything you have, no matter what. And if that’s not worth hanging on to, what is?
