Luke Doucet's "Blood's Too Rich"

I have to admit, I don't know very much about Luke Doucet. I stumbled across him last year whilst perusing the Interwebs and another site had posted a couple of his tracks. Lucky Luke was described as a kick ass guitarist and a Canuck, so I figured those bona fides alone were worth checking out his stuff. I heard "Emily, Please" from Broken (And Other Rogue States) and realized this guy was the real deal, as it easily was one of the best tracks I heard in '07.

Obviously, there was much rejoicing when I received a copy of his latest endeavor, Blood's Too Rich. Not being familiar with any of his work beyond the aforementioned track, I can't tell you if the new disc is a return to form or a new direction, but on this one, Mr. Doucet strikes a decidely alt-country tone. There are a few standout tracks here, including the opener, "Long Haul Driver," "Beacon on the Southpaw," and "The Day Rick Danko Died." As with most things country, the themes are familiar, with broken hearts and too much time on the road, but his Dan Fagan-like vocals and superior guitar chops do take things up a notch. I only have one real complaint with this CD--Luke hints at his guitar greatness all over this thing, but never seems to truly open the floodgates. Sure, there's a kick ass lick here and a tasty groove there, but the wailing we all deserve is noticeably absent. Sure, it makes me want to see him live all that much more, but why tease?

Have a taste for yourself below and let us know what you think.

Long Haul Driver
The Lovecats (The Cure cover)