Luke Jackson
Album: This Family Tree
Label: First Take
Tracks: 7
Website: http://www.lukepauljackson.com

Sometimes when I'm not snapping a review up, it's simply because the cd has fallen out of the pile, sometimes it's simply because I don't have a time turner/Tardis and there simply aren't enough hours in the week and sometimes it's because I'm worried that what I'm going to write it hyperbole. When an album moves from the very good to the exceptional, I really want to make sure that's the case before putting fingers to keyboard, in the case of Luke Jackson's "This Family Tree" that delay confirmed the original verdict, this is an exceptional cd, no mistake.

At seven tracks in size I can't decide if it's an EP or a mini-album, either way it suffers from the sin of being too short and that, plus the mis-accreditation on the cover are the only faults that I can find. The first is a little picky, the second less so. Whilst "This Family Tree" is credited to Luke Jackson, this is really the debut release of The Luke Jackson Trio and the first on First Take Records.

Joining Luke for this cut are two friends he was in a band with whilst still at college, bass player Andy Sharps and percussionist Connor Downs, both of whom he has toured with separately as accompanists. Putting himself in a band setting adds considerably to the much in demand Luke Jackson's armoury. He's been featuring on a number of albums in the capacity of guest artist, but within the Trio he can really expand on that band dynamic and he has.

Whilst Luke has penned the album, you get the feeling they have developed them as a unit and it really does give the songs a real strength and something which sets them apart from Jackson's already considerable solo canon. There is a different quality to the sound and performance, not better or worse than his solo touch, different. For a start, whilst the EP as a whole feels more bluesy, there is a slight rockabilly sound that comes through, something very much augmented by Andy Sharps bass work.

Similarly Down's has a drum style that occasionally takes him behind the beat and gives the whole a slight touch of jazz in amongst that more blues rock sound. Credit also to producer Dan Lucas, who seems to have very much let the Trio run with their hearts as well as their heads to deliver a mini-album that keeps screaming at the repeat button.

Lyrically Jackson appears to have made absolutely no sacrifices to find his band voice, the result of which is an album that really rewards you for taking that time to understand the poetry of the words and the way they are supported by the band and if anything confirms Jackson's status as one of England's more innovative songwriters and I wonder if this will see him more in demand to provide words to other projects.

Either way, "This Family Tree" is a truly exceptional album, in a year that is already showing itself as vintage. If you haven't got your copy yet, you really should be hitting the shops, starting with the one on his own website.

Neil King