Lee’s Listening Stack – Luke Temple – ‘Don’t Act Like You Don’t Care’
Luke Temple
Don’t Act Like You Don’t Care
Western Vinyl
Building on a modest solo career, even while maintaining a parallel stint with the vaguely psychedelic Here We Go Magic, Luke Temple continues to assert the irrepressible charm that made each of his two previous albums so inviting. A folk singer at heart – he hails from the fertile environs of New England after all – Temple has a way with casual, carefree melodies and an airy, effervescent attitude, and those talents pervade practically every verse of this lithe third LP. If the title seems prophetic, then so be it; that’s an acceptable consequence of Temple’s easy, breezy stance. And while some songs may appear slight, and lingering impressions aren’t always easy to come by, Temple’s winsome attitude more than makes up for any perceived deficiencies. Ultimately, the jaunty amble of “In the Open” and the carefree strut of “How Could I Lie” and “Ophelia” reflect the sound of an artist whose confidence is clearly rising. Inevitably though, it’s left to the final entries of this nine-song set – specifically, “So Long, So Long,” “You Belong to Heaven” and “Luck Part” – to provide gentle assurance. These quiet hymns are conveyed with an unassuming lilt, and beg repeated listening, if only to soak up the sincerity. Calm and clarity may not count for much any more, but that’s all the more reason why Temple’s tunes are well worth savoring. – Lee Zimmerman
Lee Zimmerman is a contributor to a variety of publications, including Blurt, M Music & Musicians, New Times, Goldmine and Amplifier
This review appears courtesy of Amplifier, 50,000 Watts of Non-Stop Indie Rock http://amplifiermagazine.blogspot.com/