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Tony Lucca
Canyon Songs
(Rock Ridge)
First Appeared in The Music Box, January 2007, Volume 14, #1
Written by John Metzger
On his fourth, full-length set Canyon Songs, Tony Lucca stays with
what he knows best. At the same time, though, he also resists the urge to draw
inspiration solely from the winding streets of Los Angeles’ favorite hippie
haven as the title to his latest outing otherwise might suggest. The end result
is a wonderfully engaging affair that certainly deserves more attention than it
received last year.
Stylistically diverse, Canyon Songs runs the gamut from the Byrds-ian buoyancy that keeps Sarah Jane afloat to the breezy, Jackson
Browne-meets-The Eagles expressions of Darlin’ I and from Julia’s
blend of Sting, Simon & Garfunkel and The Beatles to Death of Me’s Amos
Lee-does-Stevie Wonder soul. Nevertheless, it’s on the hauntingly barren folk of
The Hustler, The Widow, and the Boy from Detroit that Lucca truly finds
his groove. Drawn from his personal experiences, the song, which echoes both
Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp, is a stirring lament for the working
class. It rises from the center of Canyon Songs as if to provide a
sympathetic beacon of light to those who are desperately trying to eke out a
living in an increasingly uncaring world.
For the record, there are times when the
material on Canyon Songs tumbles into the flattened realm of bland,
commercially acceptable pop (Longing, So Long, and Feels Like
Love). Likewise, Lucca’s lyrics are often mediocre. Nevertheless, saved by
his passionate delivery, Canyon Songs succeeds in spite of Lucca’s
deficiencies. In fact, he so effectively sketches his personal ruminations and
observations that he surpasses many of the other like-minded souls who currently
are stumbling around, searching for direction and distinction within the
singer-songwriter scene. Canyon Songs might not be groundbreaking, but it
is a thoroughly enjoyable sleeper set, one that indicates that Lucca might have
a long and prosperous career ahead of him. 
Canyon Songs is available from
Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2007 The Music Box
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