Album Review

Lackluster – Not Another Word

• 29th Oct 2007

Like Leicester’s brilliant Sam Isaac, Jon Hayes (or Lackluster if you prefer) seems to be all husky tones and mellow acoustica, but that’s just the very surface.

‘Each It and I’ is the aforementioned summer laze but just when it seems like the similarly laidback ‘Not Another Word’ hasn’t got quite enough bite to truly engage, it all flies off into Hope of the States meets Forward Russia territory and begins to dazzle.

Lackluster is anything but his odd choice of name and mixes in Jack Johnson cosiness with Bright Eyes’ ability to amaze.

‘Where I Belong’ turns into a frankly astonishing diatribe against the Iraq War. Try out “I can’t distinguish preachers from the non-believers, they’re all running wild spitting lies, and pointing fingers.” Or “Just a little blood to protect our shores….sometimes it takes a leader to leave it alone.” He’s got a bit of anger in his belly this boy, and while a lot of the time his lyrics are either muddled or overly simplistic, when he gets it right he nails it and the effects are awesome.

To top it off the lucky little bugger even looks like Matt Damon in his Bourne moments. If only we were all this gifted.
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