Many an aspiring musician has cursed his or her day job. Not indie-folk artist Luke Hogan. His career as a carpenter has helped him to build his career as a musician. For Luke, a fortuitous turn of events enabled him to finance his imaginatively textured debut record, Thank You Stranger, by bartering his skills and building the studio it would soon be recorded in.
“Carpentry is a second passion of mine,” the Portland, Oregon-based artist shares. “It has proven to be a great skill to make connections with. When I made this record, I didn’t have to worry about how much it was going to cost; I could really take my time and explore different arrangements for each song.”
Thank You Stranger is a folk album with songs that have blossomed with intriguing arrangements, and bold textural touches such as strings, synthetic atmospherics, and non-traditional percussion. Luke sums it all up thusly: “These are acoustic songs that took on a life of their own.” Thematically, the album manages to be paradoxically personal and opaque. “It takes me a bit of distance to figure out what these songs are about,” admits Luke. “That’s why I called the album Thank You Stranger. “I’m always trying and trying to write new songs, but I’ve learned that it’s really more about just keeping the guitar in my hands as often as I can in the hopes that when a song comes along, I’m there to grab it. The best ones show up when you’re only half paying attention. I thought the record’s title would be a good place to express my gratitude.”
Today Glide is excited to premiere the single “Neon”, a soothing electrical shock, melodic as it is hypnotic, yet sharp and uneasy. The song was written before Luke left Massachusetts to move to Los Angeles where his musician friends had previously migrated. Bringing to mind the indie rock sensibilities of groups like Broken Social Scene, the song is a groovy meditation that incorporates synth, a hypnotic drum beat, and a rich ethereal landscape of euphoric vocals and instrumentation. The lo-fi approach to guitar suits the song’s poppy edge and Luke establishes himself as a songwriter who can craft simple yet emotionally deep music.
Luke describes the inspiration behind the song:
“‘Neon’ came along just before I moved out west, almost 4 years ago now. It had been a pretty restless period leading up to my departure, things had gotten a little too comfortable back home and it was time for a new challenge. I was heading out to Los Angeles where I had some friends doing the music thing, and I remember thinking a lot back then about how you can change your surroundings all you want, but the bottom line is that wherever you go, you gotta bring yourself. The same types of anxieties, uncertainties, and personal shortcomings that you may fool yourself into thinking you’re escaping by making a geographical change – they will still be there no matter how far you go. This song is about trying to accept that, and learning how to confront those difficulties without the comforts of home to aid in the process.”
LISTEN:
Check out tour dates below and visit Luke on Facebook for more info.
July 30th // Portland, OR // Alberta Street Pub
August 4th // Forest Grove, OR // Bob’s Bar
August 9th // Vancouver, WA // Brickhouse
August 17th // Portland, OR // St. John’s Beer Porch
October 2nd // Eugene, OR // Whirled Pies
October 4th // San Francisco, CA // Neck of the Woods
October 6th // Los Angeles, CA // The Love Song
One Response
Great track! Love Luke’s voice and songwriting