Lucero

Unplugged

Liberty & Lament

The five-piece prolific rock/alt-country Memphis-based Lucero is the latest to go the unplugged route. Not only have they stripped down to acoustic songs, but these twenty are rendered by two band members, frontman, principal songwriter and lead singer Ben Nichols and pianist Rick Steff.  The generous double-LP set includes both popular songs and obscure ones from their immense catalog of 20 studio albums, two live albums, and 74 singles over 25 years. The duo went to famed producer Matt Ross-Spang’s Memphis studio, performing the songs with acoustic guitar and piano in just one day. The rawness of the approach comes through with songs cut in one or two takes. The inspiration for the project grew out of live acoustic shows Nichols and Steff would sometimes perform together. This inevitably led to new arrangements in some cases, mostly by Steff, who was not a member of the band until 2006. Readers of this magazine should be well familiar with the pianist not only as a member of the band but as a studio musician who has contributed to countless blues recordings. You won’t hear much blues from the pianist here, but you will hear magnificent accompaniment and soloing on his grand piano. Even the sparseness of just acoustic guitar and piano results in stunning musical blends as these two play.

As NIchols comments, “I love getting to really dig deep into Rick’s piano parts. I love hearing the parts up close both from the albums he’s on with the band, as well as his parts that weren’t originally on the old albums before he joined the group. It’s a fresh take on Lucero.”  Case in point, the duo render one of the band’s most popular tunes, “That Much Further West,” recorded in studio pre-Steff, with a stunning solo in the second half of the song. To these ears, it’s those piano parts, also heard on “Diamond State Heartbreak,””Buy a LIttle Time,” and “I Can’t Stand to Leave You” that are the compelling reason to listen. On the other hand, wading through the full 20 songs can be tiresome as the tempos and instrumentation don’t vary much. Also, although NIchols sings with plenty of conviction and emotion, his rugged, burnished baritone creates a ‘sameness’ as well.

That said, I found ten of the 20 especially well done, and, as you might expect, these were a blend of their most popular tunes as well as less-known ones. The previously mentioned “That Much Further West” heads a list of “When I Was Young” (from Women and Work) that has a nice, folksy, singalong feel, “Diamond State Heartbreak’’ (The Attic Tapes) with a nice flow and wondrous piano, “Slow Dancing” (Tennessee) with a great blend of guitar and piano, and “Among the Ghosts” (title track of the same album) that features a great crescendo and one of NIchols’ most passionate vocals. As mentioned, the syncopated rocker “Buy a Little Time” (Should’ve Learned By Now) shines with its piano part, “Tell Me What It Takes” (Television Series One Tree Hill, Vol.3) has a terrific blend of guitar and piano, and three story songs are developed especially well by Nichols – the dark and moody “It Gets the Worst at Night” (Lucero), the aforementioned “I Can’t Stand to Leave You “ (Women and Work), and the well-chosen defiant, and anthemic closer “Tears Don’t Matter Much”(That Much Further West).

Overall, they draw four tracks from That Much Further West, three from Tennessee, and two each from Women & Work, and The Attic Tapes. If by some chance, you’ve lived under a rock for 25 years, the band’s songs tend to center on unrequited love and the accompanying loneliness and heartbreak. For example, in these 20 songs alone, these words are in the titles – lonesome, heartbreak, sadness, and tears. Here is what two other writers have said. Blogger Kevin Koczwara said this in 2020- “Nichols and Lucero have aged from their punk roots and songs about girls they idolize to singing about the South, the family and the ghosts that follow all of us.”  Ben Sailer offered this in 2023 “Lucero’s music has always had two speeds: “I’m going to party hard” and “I shouldn’t have partied that hard.”  This collection clearly points to the latter.

 – Jim Hynes

BUY NOW

Buy Us a Cup of Coffee!

Join the movement in supporting Making a Scene, the premier independent resource for both emerging musicians and the dedicated fans who champion them.

We showcase this vibrant community that celebrates the raw talent and creative spirit driving the music industry forward. From insightful articles and in-depth interviews to exclusive content and insider tips, Making a Scene empowers artists to thrive and fans to discover their next favorite sound.

Together, let’s amplify the voices of independent musicians and forge unforgettable connections through the power of music

You can donate directly through Paypal!

Subscribe to Our Newsletter