John Moreland - Big Bad Luv

Rating: 5/5

Review :
A very good album

This is a really good album.  I tried it (like a lot of other people) having seen John Moreland supporting Jason Isbell a while ago.  I liked his set then, but there is so much good Americana around at the moment that I wasn't sure this would stand out.  I was wrong - it really does stand out: good tunes, fine singing and intelligent, thoughtful lyrics engaged me on first hearing and the album has grown on me since then.

Moreland's voice and style has echoes of both Isbell and Springsteen to me, but he's his own man with his own stories and insights.  The tone is rather downbeat (although there's a very moving expression of hope and redemption in the last few lines of the closing track) but it's never depressing.  Moreland has fine a lyrical gift, often expressing things freshly – like this little example from the excellent Lies I Chose To Believe:

"Good luck finding your peace of mind

Being born into these gruelling times;

These days I don't pray when I close my eyes,

I just bite my tongue a bit harder."

or this fine, arresting opening from another standout, No Glory In Regret

"Did you hear the Devil laughing as the ambulance passed

Or was that just my troubled mind?"

I think these are very classy lyrics throughout which, combined with fine, straightforward tunes, very good arrangements and performance and a great vocal delivery make this a really good piece of work.

Big Bad Luv is one of my albums of the year so far, and I don't say that lightly.  If you like Americana, make sure you give this a try.  Personally, I'm going to have a good look at Moreland's back catalogue; on this evidence he's a class act and I can recommend this album very warmly.