Having worked with the likes of Smog and the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Sarabeth Tucek is clearly the kind of artist to be regarded as cool. Any fears that this could be a record that favours style over substance will be relieved to know that this is a record that successfully showcases Tucek as not only her woman, but a great songwriter too.
The album opens with the critically acclaimed Something For You, a bleak folk song, which with Tucek’s beautiful voice, recalls the like of Sandy Denny and Pentangle. But it’s Neil Young that is clearly the biggest influence on Tucek’s style, both lyrically and musically. His trademark mix of Americana and feedback driven riffs is all over this record. No more so than on Hey You, the kind of ballad you’d find on After The Goldrush, while Hot Tears has a solo reminiscent of ‘Southern Man’. You can even hear Young in the lyrics too; “The broken down ambulance will always have the same thing to say, I know there is trouble and I am on my way”, although this should not take away what an accomplished songwriter Tucek is.
Nobody Cares, with its Byrds-esque folk-rock, offers an up-tempo break in the record and even hints at commercial success. But it is Home that is the masterpiece of this record, a powerful string-laden ballad that closes the album perfectly.
This debut demonstrates a very promising for Sarabeth Tucek. For now, she has the tag of the female Neil Young, and that’s quite an achievement for any artist.
//Kirk Burton