Luke Winslow-King
Coast of Light
Bloodshot Records
Originally from Cadillac, Michigan, and now living in Spain, Luke Winslow-King releases his new album, Coast of Light, a collection of 12 primarily blues-flavored songs, along with tints of jazz, blues, classical, and folk.
Winslow-King grew up listening to Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, and Carlos Santana. Later, he studied jazz and classical guitar, followed by busking. He lived in New Orleans for more than a decade and a half.
Produced by Winslow-King and Roberto Luti at Jambona Lab Studios in Livorno, Italy, the album features the talents of Simone Lute (bass), Piero Perelli (drums, congas), Nicola Venturini (Hammond organ, piano, Fender Rhodes, drums), and Giacom Riggi (percussion).
The title of the album refers to the city of Cadiz, which sits on the coast of light, on the Atlantic side of Andalusia.
Suggested entry points on the album include the title track, with its low-slung, undulating rhythm, drawling guitar, and Winslow-King’s soft vocals. According to Winslow-King, the song is “just kind of a remembrance of a trip that I took down to the Coast of Light—on the Atlantic near Cadiz in Andalusia—with my wife.”
A personal favorite because of its inviting Latin rhythm, “As Far As We Know” finds Winslow-King imbuing the lyrics with slightly breathy tones, infusing the tune with a relaxed, almost nonchalant, mood.
Another gem, “Dangerous Blues” drips with swampy, Mississippi blues textures. A song about guns and violence, the harmonics project a wickedly portentous aura, while the lyrics reveal the idea of even more bloodshed on the horizon: “Shot my pistol in the wrong man’s town.”
The slow and blues-drenched “Lotus Blossom” allows Winslow-King to show off his rasping, weathered voice, a voice radiating pure, aching sorrow. Whereas “Shoot from the Hip” grinds out on surfaces of dirty blues, highlighted by the oozing bray of the organ and greasy guitar licks saturated with muddy colors.
A love song, “Destiny” rolls out on a soulful melody that conjures up memories of The Temptations. The cascading ripples of the harmonics pull listeners into a realm of quixotic warmth.
On “Don’t Worry Your Mind,” Winslow-King conveys listeners to the land of boogie, followed by tying the album off with “In the Evening,” a cool cat song reminiscent of the ‘50s and ‘60s – full of tangs from Chuck Berry, Elvis, and Roy Orbison.
With his wonderfully tattered voice at the forefront, on Coast of Light, Luke Winslow-King blends blues and tinges of other genres into a glorious album.
