In my review of his Bloodshot debut, The Coming Tide, I compared Luke Winslow-King (LWK) to Justin Townes Earle (JTE). For one they both have three names. Second, they both have a dedication to the way music used to be and the ability to pull it off. I caught LWK’s set at the Bloodshot SXSW showcase this past March. Accompanied by only his wife, Esther Rose, they breezed through a 45 minute set that encompassed bits of country, ragtime and Delta blues.
The songs on Everlasting Arms have such a nice variety. The title track, a rewrite of A. Showalter, comes off sounding like LWK and Rose are sitting on a porch in the Garden District trading verses as LWK works in his bottle-neck guitar. That is followed by a crunchy Delta blues riff and LWK’s muted howls. The song cooks because its a) excellent and b) it stands out in a way that Lord I Just Can’t Keep From Cryin’ does on The Barr Brothers debut. Followed up by Levee Man, a track that couldn’t celebrate New Orleans any more unless it was recorded in a club on Frenchmen.
LWK is going to be The Hideout tomorrow night for his record release. I will be up near his hometown of Cadillac, MI for a wedding of fellow LWK fan and friend of HearYa, El Jefe. Tell LWK and Esther we said hello.
Follow me on Twitter at @WoodyHearYa
LWK is here
