Videos by American Songwriter
Uncle Lucius
Like It’s the Last One Left
Boo Clap Records/Thirty Tigers
3.5 Out of Five Stars
When a band returns after a hiatus with their first album in five years, it’s an auspicious occasion by any account. Consequently, Like It’s the Last One Left holds special significance for fans and followers of the Austin-based Americana band Uncle Lucius. And yet it’s significant in other ways as well, especially given the sturdy, steadfast approach that remains so closely tied to the band’s signature sound.
That particular quality has quite a bit to do with lead singer Kevin Galloway’s staunch, soulful vocals which imbue these songs with unerring emotion throughout. The material veers from the saunter and sway of “All the Angelenos,” a narrative about those unexpected—and apparently unwelcome — emigrants from L.A. who venture south to the band’s own environs. (All the Angelenos are moving down to Texas…), to the unfettered concerns shared in “Civilized Anxiety,” a cautionary tale about overpopulation and the pressures it exerts on a population beset by crowding, competition, and the stress that results in the aftermath.
If it sounds like Uncle Lucius is issuing some sort of doomsday prophecy, the song “I’m Happy” offers some reassurance that the band is quite content regardless. On the other hand, given the fact that Galloway repeats the refrain over and over repeatedly, one might suspect that his insistence is simply a means of convincing himself. He and his bandmates remain decisive and determined, but the seemingly effortless sashay that underscores most of these melodies suggests they’d rather caress rather than coerce. The sweetly strummed instrumental “Draw the Line” is but one example. Likewise, even when the entire band becomes emphatically engaged—as on the track “Trace My Soul” in particular—there’s nothing particularly forced or frenzied about their performance.
Ultimately then, Like It’s the Last One Left makes for a welcome return, and one that ought to return them to a place of prominence among the Americana elite. The title aside, it’s not only a fresh beginning, but—unlike most found at a typical family gathering—this particular uncle is consistently engaging.
Photo by Dylan Johnson / courtesy All Eyes Media
