Dead Luke – “American Haircut” – [Floridas Dying Records]

Thurston Hunger   6/16/2010   12-inch, A Library

Is this a swan song for Dead Luke? A last gasp for Luke
Gasper’s one-man band (while he continues to backup fellow
Madisonian Zola Jesus and pursue other things?) Hard to
tell, but this lp continues the current revival of bluesy
rock, gritted up and distorted out. Slow motion maneuvers,
dirty pysch flavor (enjoy an appearance of some swap meet
sitar on “Sunrise”). Vocals are tough to follow, even if
you know the words (on the one cover of Sam and the Sham’s
“Lil’ Red Riding Hood”). Not quite fair to call this a
one-man band when one highpoint comes via Haley Fohr’s vox
on “Acid Forest.” (Need to score some Circuit Des Yeux for
more of her). Second side had a more thrive to survive
for me, but “Luke is not Dead” zips to a superlofi Clean-style
swirl, then the has a soft focus redux and lot’s of tracked
vox tacked on top. Maybe Luke’s alive but just tired, from
running a cassette label (Jerkwave Tapes) and running around
with Wisconsin whippersnappers.

-Thurston Hunger