Luka Bloom
Album: Head & Heart
Label: Splid
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.lukabloom.com/

Internationally acclaimed Irish singer-songwriter, Luka Bloom, has enjoyed over twenty years of success and since the release of his debut album 'Riverside' in 1990 has been embraced by audiences the world over, touring with the likes of The Pogues, Hothouse Flowers, and the Violent Femmes. He has presented his songs to clubs, theatres, festivals and arenas and has developed a reputation for his impassioned live performances, his unquestionable talent and his poetic delivery of his original songs, traditional songs and his individual interpretations of others work....with Head & Heart Luka continues in his quest to present to his audience a collection of wonderful songs, and to a large degree, as you would expect succeeds!

The album is a combination of self penned songs, 'Give you wings', 'Liffeyside', well known Irish ballads such as 'My Wild Irish Rose' and 'Danny Boy' and a fine selection of contemporary compositions by some of the biggest hitters in the singer-songwriter circle....Bob Dylan, Don McLean, Ewan MacColl, John Hartford, and John Martyn all intelligently represented here.

The opening song is John Martyn's almost haunting Head and Heart, title track, yet vocally maybe the most challenging.....not the obvious choice of the selected tracks for the initial offering, yet somehow engrossing and captivating.... beautifully played, and delivered with a raw energy which sets the stall out for the songs to follow, songs that grow in stature as the album progresses as Luka delivers the most passionate of passionate vocal performances, each staying so true, so honest and so simply elegant.

With several of the tracks Luka is captured alone; taking on sole guitar duties and of course vocal duties and these are so simple, yet so compelling....the delicacy of the playing is matched to perfection by the impassioned voice....Where accompanied by gentle piano, understated double bass, and the most considerate of drums it is Luka's voice that is graciously allowed to lead us on a journey through some of the most recognisable modern folk songs known such as Mclean's 'And I love you so...', MacColl's 'The first time ever I saw your face', and Dylan's 'Every grain of sand', yet at the same time making these songs his own, his own personal reflections maybe....and at the same time making them so completely believable.

Whether its the strong Irish lilt, the unquestionable emotion, the acute song selection, or the cultured musicianship of Luka Bloom, or indeed all of the above, there is something very special, very unique and very charming about this collection of songs, something that is very, well, very Luka Bloom!!!

James Cosgrove