So Long, Louque...actually, Hello

"Modern eclecticism" is how Louque describes his music, and critics have corroborated that statement. It's incredibly difficult to categorize Louque's music and style; he has roots in Southern blues and folk, reggae, African drumming, shakers, and guords, slinky electronic synth, and the occasional sun-drenched or melancholic piano phrase. His diversity has brought him success in the soundtrack business, but he has yet to garner commercial success. If we're talking Louque, we're talking niche. And that doesn't make him or his underground following any less good.

Born Dustan Louque, Louque goes by his surname (pronounce it Luke so you don't moronically pronounce it Loke like I did for two years) and draws from both his Southern and Northern environments; he hails from New Orleans and Brooklyn. Louque moved to NY to pursue acting at first, but discontinued school to devote himself to music. Other than that, it's hard to get information about the man; he's incredibly private (but oh so wonderful).

In an interview at the Feeling Better Than Everfine Festival in the summer of 2004 in Cleveland, Ohio, Louque said that he "can go from classical music to drum and bass to reggae to rock..." He added that computers and new technology are what made these new sounds possible.

Speaking about his debut album, So Long, released independently before he joined Lava Records: "the album was made in my bedroom in Brooklyn, pretty much, and I mixed it in the studio."

And then there was his excellent shut-down of the reporter.
Reporter: "I know OAR when they write new stuff they road test it a lot, play it live, then they see what the fans like-"
Louque (cutting him off): "-yeah, I'm not really interested in that...[the record] is more or less a time capsule for me...it's not really, like, what the fans think...it's kind of like, they come with me."

Now, I know there are different opinions about how much fan-pandering any kind of artist should do, but at least we know that Louque is not a sell-out, unlike a few other people I could name...

I think his lyrics rather simple, beautiful, and poetic; not surprising, considering that both F. Scott Fitzgerald and Leonard Cohen are listed under his influences on his myspace.

And now, on to So Long, his first and only album to date (though there should be another one out pretty soon).

SO LONG

We start out with "Perique," a hypnotic, melancholy song with the same lyrics echoing over and over in reverberating distant refrain over the tight snare drums. This song is so relaxed and mesmerizing that it may take a while to grow on you, but it's a real treat once it does.

"Whoa Now" was featured in the movie Disturbia (I haven't seen the movie); it's the most upbeat song on the album, featuring a jazzy opening thanks in large part to piano. Upbeat as it may be, however, it still retains Louque's "cool cat" vibe and remains as swanky as everything else he does. The chorus is a simple departure from his normally pretty nonsense poetry as he sings "whoa now, have you seen? my pretty love's just far away/I'm hoping that she's alright/I love my baby cause she's alright." Shakers and bongos add a nice Latin flavor; I really can't imagine anyone listening to this song and denouncing it as awful.

Perhaps Louque's most beloved song, what sticks in the craw of so many fans is that it's still impossible to get lyrics to "Art." This is my favorite song of all time, and I can still only take a guess at the chorus. Incidentally, I think it goes something along the lines of:

I see you running
keep running
your time's coming
I see you running
a sweet burning
your life story

Louque's crooning, moaning voice coupled with the gorgeous full piano chords, slinky bass, and tight snare, creates a sparse composition that still manages to pack an intense punch. This isn't shoe-gazing walls of sound from the Verve or U2's sensitive, huge, echoing chords. It's simple beauty which makes you want to cry.

"Kenny the Jet" is a mix of NY-style rap and reggae-inspired rap about truth, destiny, and self; heavy lyrics are set over, again, thin drums and a selection of both electronic and obscure instruments. Again, very chill, with a touch of woe.

We already know at this point how fond Louque is of the piano, and "Still in Waiting"'s foundation is built on the sorrowful opening bars from the instrument. Adding in a simple bass line, and, of course, the drums, the sound is gradually built up for this song about being caught in the middle of an impossible dream. The opening lines hint seductively at an enigmatic, furtive journey as Louque sings, "Better watch the song you sing/We don't need no lie...Remember when it all began?"

"Cry Cry" is easily my second-favorite song on the album. The original may have roots in country and Southern rock, but Louque puts a different spin on Mazzy Star's ballad. His version is an updated blues, apparent from the very first opening notes. Both versions are quite beautiful, but Louque's comes through as less of a wallowing anthem of self-pity and more of an admission; his honest voice carries the quality of a surprised confession ("Cry cry for you/just like you knew I wouldn't do"), which sneakily endears the listener to him as we feel his slow, musing pain.

Did I mention that Louque's from the South? "Lifeline" has a pained chorus that hearkens back to Southern slave songs, while Louque himself sings about the challenges of, as Bloc Party would put it, "This Modern Love."

"I Did" is not, I have to say, my album favorite. The lyrics? I'm all there- it's question-packed and heartfelt, and has possibly some of the best work on the album in terms of writing. But I don't think the melody quite jibes with the song; frankly, if Louque is boring anywhere, it's on this song. But don't knock it til you try it.

Album closer "Time Will Take" is sufficiently bluesy but also suffused with the most rock quality of the whole album. It's too upbeat to be described as melancholy, but it's still tinged with sorrow. Very singable, calm, and, again, hypnotic. The melody continues to build while becoming more and more optimistic.

-elln