Friday March 29th 2024

Lucky United – “Lucky United”

ww

Lucky United – “Lucky United”

 

Lucky United is Jenn Lombari’s latest project and she is my favorite songwriter of the bands we cover.

So maybe, you think, I should disqualify myself from the review, and you have a point, but everyone who I’ve mentioned my opinion to, and are aware of her songwriting, are unanimously in agreement with me.

Lucky United describe themselves as “high energy rock” or more concisely, “heart on sleeve, pop/punk rock’n’roll.” I’d go with the later description but I would also add- these are emotionally bare, true, well-written songs delivered in a style full of guts and passion that any good vocalist- from early rock’n’roll to early punk to early riot grrl- has embodied.

And they are played in a fast, hard-hitting style by the rhythm section of Jennifer Yakes and DJ Yglesias, that complement the feelings of these songs perfectly. The music has the rushed, desperate, intense feeling of the words and the band packs a pure punch of perfected pop punk rock’n’roll.

Great lyrics, great songs and a take-no prisoners, no holds barred rhythm section is a true recipe for excitement and fun but here it’s also one for something with true meaning, something that may touch your heart.

Let’s see if this album matches what I say about it:

“Touche Pussycat” leads off this album and right away were soaring 100 miles per hour into the stratosphere. “Don’t know what I’m doing but it feels right/ Maybe it was our thing all along.” And shortly- “Finally someone gets it/ come closer no one is around.” But then it switches to, “I laugh at your dumb jokes and you laugh at my dumb jokes and everything is perfect after all.” After a scream of “Wooowww” the guitar ascends into a higher passage that sends shivers up my spine and puts goose bumps on my arms. This is a song of longing and frustration of ecstasy and pain and maybe it was nothing all along, maybe that all disappeared but something pretty great came out of it and that something great would be this song.

“And every song is a memory/ Of words you said to me/ How could you lie?” I’m not lying when I say “Come And Gone” is a great song that hits me hard and true. “Ain’t it funny/ how we remain friends.” So many questions but an unbelievable song with a guitar part towards the end summoning goose bumps once again. This is a song where the music bursts with joy and the lyrics have a bitter-sweet tinge to them.

Starting with a country-ish/rockabilly lick, you might get the sense that “Lonestar” will slow things down a bit. But the rhythm section is having none of that and kicks it up a notch to another gear. “I probably talk too much/ I probably said some really dumb stuff/ I had a couple of drinks, before I met you.” It speeds nicely along until the chorus of a plea, “Please come back, please come back, darling please come back.” This seems to be a song of regret, mistakes and wrong turns. But there is no mistake that what you’re hearing is a heartfelt, honest, excellent song.

“Where have I been all your life?/ Right here/ The timing wasn’t right/ So when you look at the clock again…Think of me/ Call my name/ I’ll be right there.” Desperation, passion, emotion- music that accelerates like a heartbeat, like a pulse, like a yearning, like desire- “Welcome Home” is all of these.

“This Is My Wish (And I wish it didn’t come true…)” is another bursting jolt of energetic music along with lyrics reflecting on a failed relationship. “You’re going straight to voicemail” is a great line, funny and true but how about the longing sadness of “And I thought we were forever/ Whatever, whatever, whatever, whatever.” But whatever mistakes happened does not detract from a truly great song full of power and passion.

A 15/8 time starts out “Two Good Shoulders.” “Well I got two good shoulders, baby, waiting to be occupied/ Used to have an angel on one/ And a devil on the other side.” While the “wooh-ooo-oohs” ring out and the lead vocals promise, “We always have a good time.” The song glides along with another promise of “And I will never let you down.” It sounds pretty sincere and it sounds really great and I’m sure I’m not letting you down when I tell you- this is a wonderfully emotional, passionate song and my favorite on the album.

There’s a great cover for this album. It’s a little girl with a party hat, holding a bag. Perhaps it’s her birthday but she’s obviously sad and crying. My first reaction is- what a little brat! But my second is- is this the look of a child, peering into her future and seeing all the disappointment and heartbreak that awaits her, that awaits all of us and the awareness is making her cry?

And I don’t mind saying that a couple of songs on this album moved me to tears. Maybe because of it’s passion and raw honesty, the pure, true expression of life on the songs that did it to me.

But it’s not from sadness. Oh, no! It’s from experiencing such beauty that moves me. It actually happens quite often with the scene I write about, and this album is a great example of why that happens right here.

I’m a word guy and these are the best lyrics on any album I’ve reviewed this year, and I don’t expect anyone to exceed that. And this is the best album I’ve reviewed so far this year, so I guess you can’t get much better than that.

When you lay your heart on the line, when your art is as pure and true as it is on this album. When the pain and struggle of everyday life is turned into such a cathartic, celebratory expression of feeling as it is right here. Well, you can count me in.

Think of me, call my name. I’ll be right there.

(Slimedog)

Related Tags: ,

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.

More from category

Live Fast Die Fast – “Snakes In Disguise”
Live Fast Die Fast – “Snakes In Disguise”

Live Fast Die Fast – “Snakes In Disguise”   Every New York band that TNB has written about in [Read More]

Miracle Blood – “This Message Contains No Content”
Miracle Blood – “This Message Contains No Content”

Miracle Blood – “This Message Contains No Content”   I recently saw Miracle Blood perform for [Read More]

Wrought Iron Hex – “Wrought Iron Hex”
Wrought Iron Hex – “Wrought Iron Hex”

Wrought Iron Hex – “Wrought Iron Hex”   One of my favorite things about writing about bands and [Read More]

Triggered – “Piss You Off”
Triggered – “Piss You Off”

Triggered – “Piss You Off”   Triggered is a fairly new band upon the local Boston scene. I [Read More]

A Bunch Of Jerks – “Shart Topping Hits”
A Bunch Of Jerks – “Shart Topping Hits”

A Bunch Of Jerks – “Shart Topping Hits”   A lot of people rightly accuse TNB as being “a [Read More]

Insider

Archives