It was pretty hard to decide the album of the month because both Austin Lucas and Jason Isbell released wonderful albums and either of them would be a great choice. But if I have to choose, in the end my selection has to be A New Home in the Old World by Austin Lucas. The album is just so totally freaking amazing and it feels damn good to listen to it. Are you looking for punk energy, old bluegrass, country rock, folk ballads, moving lyrics or just a whole lot of fun? Well no need to look any further. This album delivers all that and more. Especially that opening quartet of songs Run Around, Sit Down, Darkness Out Of Me and Thunder Rail is almost out of this world. Usually I prefer if the country and folk-minded singer-songwriters keep things as simple as possible, but in Austin’s case also the fuller band sound material works perfectly and it becomes clear that the guy can master anything from beautiful down-to-earth folk ballads to energetic country-tinged rockers. That variety and richer sound palette maybe even makes A New Home in the Old World rise above his previous album Somebody Loves You, which is also an amazing album and was my #7 pick on the onechord.net’s albums of the year 2009 list. Just excellent stuff once again from Indiana’s Austin Lucas and really close to full five hearts.
Music video for the first single Thunder Rail.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIrUMURVk5c]
Austin Lucas Website
Austin Lucas at Facebook
A couple of Finland-related additions:
a) Combat Rock Industry released the album in Finland, so you should be able to get it from all the good record stores.
b) Austin Lucas will play at Bar Loose, Helsinki on the 14th of may (with Digger Barnes)