Lucas Shine "Lucas Shine"

(Diagonal Man Music 2010)

Side project up front

• Following in the grand tradition of single artists naming themselves as a collective band and collective bands naming themselves after a single artist come Lucas Shine. There’s no one in the band called Lucas although you could argue on the evidence of this ep that they are about to shine. Essentially this is a Peter Hutchinson side project supported by a who’s who of sidemen. The list of people who these guys have played with isn’t exactly exhaustive of the Americana canon but makes pretty impressive reading all the same (lets drop The Georgia Satellites, The Yayhoos, Paul Westerberg, Hem, Ryan Adams, and The Band into the mix). What this list of ingredients cooks up is a really rather pleasant handful of tracks in a roots rock style – guitars strumming, steel guitar twanging and sweet vocals drifting over the top of everything. The standout is the opener “Talk Like That” – a freewheeling pop song which gallops along at a pace which will have you playing imaginary guitar or drums with gusto. The other tracks are in a similar vein and will have you wondering why you ever missed Ryan Adams in the first place. Of some concern is the final track “Believe In Love” which is a reminder that even the sainted Ryan had his “1974” moments. Overall though an EP which leaves you waiting for the full length album to follow swiftly on.