Luka Bloom - Eleven Songs

Author

Misty Farquar

Published

Monday 24th November

I would hate to ever say that I thought an album was bad, so I won’t. What I WILL say though, is “meh…”

Luka Bloom’s “Eleven Songs” is not a great album, but it’s not terrible either. It’s got some really beautiful guitar work and orchestral pieces throughout, but none of the tracks are particularly outstanding in any other way. As you would expect from an Irish folk singer, most of the tracks sound like varying degrees of Irish folk music, though there is a slightly Spanish sounding one in the middle that may throw you. The lyrics are irritatingly detailed and literal stories about mundane events. For example, you can hear all about his experience of standing outside a church on a Sunday, or of sitting next to someone that is listening to his iPod.

Overall, the album is a roller-coaster of relaxed emotions – changing, but never too intense. This is definitely a daytime album and I get the feeling that it would be best served as the background soundtrack to lying in a park on a Sunday afternoon, going on a long road trip with a car full of mates, or being slightly tipsy at an Irish shindig.

“Eleven Songs” seems like it could be a grow-on-you album, but I’m not sure I’m willing to play it enough to find out. If you’re a fan of Luka Bloom / Irish folk music, you’ll probably love it. If not, I wouldn’t bother.