Luca Brasi – Stay (Album Review)

Posted on June 20, 2018 by walladmin

Luca Brasi – Stay
Released: 22^nd June 2018

Lineup:

Thomas Busby // Guitar
Danny Flood // Drums
Patrick Marshall // Guitar
Tyler Richardson // Vocals/Bass

Online

Luca Brasi have slowly but steadily been making a name for themselves since the release of their debut EP Extended Family in 2011. The Tasmanian indie rock band’s regular touring schedule and hard work have paid off dividends as they have amassed quite a following in the years since. This has culminated in their fourth album Stay, a release that is about finding a balance as your life gets progressively more full and complex, a sentiment that many can relate to.

The album starts off with the instrumental title track ‘Stay’, an atmospheric simplistic tune that builds introducing the drums after a minute, that sets up tone for the rest of the album. Transitioning into ‘Let It Slip’, Tyler Richardson’s vocals starts straight away singing with conviction about how he’s “not good without you, so hurry home.” Patrick Marshall and Thomas Busby’s guitar work, with Danny Flood’s drum roll during the chorus underpins the longing and heartbreak of Richardson’s Aussie twang as the challenges of being a bit older and not being able to bounce back like you could at 23, are laid bare through the lyrics.

‘The In Between’ begins with a slightly softer sound before continuing the theme of getting older, while ‘Reeling’ starts with a punch, with an insistent drum beat and a slightly pop punk sounding guitar riff before sequing into a slower pace with guitar twangs and soaring vocals, evoking images of driving down the coast during the summer. ‘Never Better’ slows things down and includes the catchy refrain of “and its worse when your legs don’t work”, which I am hoping is supposed to be symbolic and profound as opposed to just ridiculously, bleedingly obvious. ‘Got To Give’ begins in a very Killersesque way, with the reverb and delays used to layer the song to create a big sound, which continues throughout the tune.

‘Time Flew’ is a little more dramatic, with the slightly heavier drums and atmospheric guitars. ‘Clothes I Slept In’ will be a gig favourite with Richardson singing before the music kicks in, inevitably leading to potential punters chanting the lyrics to the band. The big ‘ballad’ of the album is ‘Collisions’, focuses on Richardson’s vocals for the first two minutes before bringing in the other band members to end on a theatrical note.

The penultimate song ‘Bastard’ has the rock edge that will get crowds jumping and moving, chanting about how “life is still a bastard”, while the final song, ‘The Calm and The Ease’ starts in the same vein as ‘Stay’, not only signposting the end of the album but tying the product together as a neat package.

Stay works well as an album, it doesn’t veer too far from a formula and sound that has been working for Luca Brasi. The songs are all connected by the exploration of the same themes; growing older and juggling the balance between your youth and responsibilities, which allows for some poignant moments. If you love the Australian indie rock sounds favoured by Triple J at the moment, this album is for you. It’s emotive, uncomplicated and consistent. If you like your rock heavier, then maybe give it a miss.