"I feel like I died three years ago..."
At this point (I have reveling in Luke De-Sciscio's art and shape shifting musical aesthetic since 2018) and because my comments here are so close to the release of his brilliant avant pop / folk / more (much more) concept album "The Banquet" that I have to share this first, the first paragraph of that review:
His latest manifestation, a 9 track album entitled "The Banquet", at first glimpse, seems to draw from the birthplace of classical music, ie 15th century music, the Renaissance period but Luke takes such impressions and twists them on their head. Within the album there are too many cross-generational genre blending moments to mention in one breath. It is as if these styles and, more importantly, these historical artistic cues were put in a magical petri dish to organically develop into another thing, something that lies somewhere between an opera and a theatrical stage play. A sound that, across the breadth and scope of an album, gleefully shape-shifts in cinematic ways. Luke is that auteur here with the core of each song written, recorded and produced by his hand but he smartly takes a holistic approach by bringing in collaborators from all over the world broadening the sound in big ways.
AND the last paragraph:
"The Banquet" is truly an album as a conceptual piece of art as opposed to just a collection of songs. Luke De-Sciscio has crafted something that is so hard to define and I will undoubtedly ask him for the lyrics to every song so I can saturate myself with this album's words and sounds for weeks to come. I thought the album would be one thing but it turned out to be something entirely different. I thought of a lot of shapes and colors as I experienced these songs, an amalgam of different artists from different times, some like absolute beauty of a composer like Gordon Jenkins (60's), artful pop finesse of Harry Nilsson, the romance of Cole Porter, the 60's surfside sunshine of Van Dyke Parks, the kissed cabaret of Freddie Mercury, the crooning mirrored utopia of Roy Orbison and the surreal fog of Alligator Indian but most of all, MOST of all, I thought of the brain and heart of Luke himself. An artful soul that I must delve into more, pick his brain and heart in the future.
His latest manifestation, a 9 track album entitled "The Banquet", at first glimpse, seems to draw from the birthplace of classical music, ie 15th century music, the Renaissance period but Luke takes such impressions and twists them on their head. Within the album there are too many cross-generational genre blending moments to mention in one breath. It is as if these styles and, more importantly, these historical artistic cues were put in a magical petri dish to organically develop into another thing, something that lies somewhere between an opera and a theatrical stage play. A sound that, across the breadth and scope of an album, gleefully shape-shifts in cinematic ways. Luke is that auteur here with the core of each song written, recorded and produced by his hand but he smartly takes a holistic approach by bringing in collaborators from all over the world broadening the sound in big ways.
AND the last paragraph:
"The Banquet" is truly an album as a conceptual piece of art as opposed to just a collection of songs. Luke De-Sciscio has crafted something that is so hard to define and I will undoubtedly ask him for the lyrics to every song so I can saturate myself with this album's words and sounds for weeks to come. I thought the album would be one thing but it turned out to be something entirely different. I thought of a lot of shapes and colors as I experienced these songs, an amalgam of different artists from different times, some like absolute beauty of a composer like Gordon Jenkins (60's), artful pop finesse of Harry Nilsson, the romance of Cole Porter, the 60's surfside sunshine of Van Dyke Parks, the kissed cabaret of Freddie Mercury, the crooning mirrored utopia of Roy Orbison and the surreal fog of Alligator Indian but most of all, MOST of all, I thought of the brain and heart of Luke himself. An artful soul that I must delve into more, pick his brain and heart in the future.
Sorry for the regurgitation but it is important and I truly hope that I have wetted your appetite to hear "The Banquet" if you haven't yet. I think experiencing that album before hearing everything Luke does as a post work is interesting because it might shape what you hear after. ("The Banquet" review here)
"I'll Die A Little" feels like a slow deep breath after the heady hyperventilation of such an undertaking that "The Banquet" provided. Emotionally speaking, of course, but at the same time once you steep your self in Luke's feelings and vocal countenance nothing feels lightly rendered, nothing feels unsalted. It is something about his deep vibrato that you feel intensify the further "I'll Die A Little" moves along. Moving along makes sense because this song does have a sort of wanderlustful 'riding the rails' feel. The one man feeling things so deeply the the earth shakes beneath his feet a little bit. I love this song and the simple lo-fi beat that I can imagine as a self controlled contraption, a kick pedal against a suitcase and other connections yet to be figured out in my foggy head. Not that this sounds busker like, the self harmonies and angelic electric guitar orchestrations ( and other sounds) flood in but to me they are coming from somewhere else, maybe heaven or a place that resembles it.
-Robb Donker Curtius
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
https://soundcloud.com/lukedesciscio
https://www.facebook.com/Lukedesciscio/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/41RGqF0I6xFG0GzQmLKDgb
https://lukedesciscio.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/lukedesciscio/
Luke De-Sciscio established a name for himself writing simple and disarming folk songs, winning over audiences with candid lyricism and exposé like authenticity. In 2022 he returns for the next phase in his journey, establishing the scope of a continually evolving spirit; unafraid to break formula and push the frontiers of creation. ‘The Banquet’ is an elaborate and sprawling dream. Twisting and hard to pin down. With unflinching candour he invites us to span the breadth of his vision.
https://www.facebook.com/Lukedesciscio/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/41RGqF0I6xFG0GzQmLKDgb
https://lukedesciscio.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/lukedesciscio/
Luke De-Sciscio established a name for himself writing simple and disarming folk songs, winning over audiences with candid lyricism and exposé like authenticity. In 2022 he returns for the next phase in his journey, establishing the scope of a continually evolving spirit; unafraid to break formula and push the frontiers of creation. ‘The Banquet’ is an elaborate and sprawling dream. Twisting and hard to pin down. With unflinching candour he invites us to span the breadth of his vision.
We get by with a little help from our friends
Luke De-Sciscio, folk indie, avant pop, singer songwriter, wanderlust, acoustic reflections, breath and release, post Banquet, "I'll Die A Little",
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