Two Way Monologues

A banjo is a special instrument. It seems to fit very well in country music or east coast fiddling songs. It can evoke feeling of happiness and sadness, almost simultaneously and will always make your foot stomp incessantly. Old Man Luedecke weaves together a jangly yet smooth banjo with meaningful, life-searching and fun vocals as if he’s sat in a rickety rocking chair on a big white sun blasted porch since birth.

His new disc “Proof of Love” is a glimpse into old-time music with melodic vocals and a poetic sense for song writing. He’s soft spoken but speaks volumes. He’s comforting, he’s someone you could hear stories from for hours and never get bored – no tall tales here, just life chewing away on a long piece of straw.

The title track is a smooth, quick worded and swift banjo opener. It has some fiddling and a light drum. Old Man Luedecke just wants to be a little part of the things he loves and there are lots of things he could love. It’s his simplistic view on life that makes it charming. It speaks to us all, busy in our day to day and probably missing the big picture.

“Just Like a River’ whispers “Just like a cloud I’ll uncover a sunset”
– “this world is it I will make it my home”. He’ll leave his problems behind when he hears the music. It’s as if he’s written the music for us to sing along with and feel the way he feels, it’s an emotional ditty that could draw tears of passion to be happy, to forget you worries and to live your life to the fullest.

“Ain’t Goin My Way” is a song about expressing to everyone how it doesn’t always work but it doesn’t mean you should give up and although it’s a song about being down in the dumps, he’s made it a happy and positive one.

“Big Group Breakfast”, “In The Beginning” and “Sad as A forest” are must listen to tracks. He’s apparently a younger fellow with old time mentality and a tremendous love story of falling in love with a girl from Yukon and a Banjo.

Pick up this disc to transport back to the 1850’s on a starry night and cooling down after a blistering hot day in the country Enter the bar, grab a bottle of moonshine, tilt your hat down, boots up on the dusty table and though you could dance, you’ll sit, enjoy the music and fill yourself with new hope.

Luedecke plays The Drake Hotel as part of the No Shame Showcases today, Thursday May 15th with Nils Edenloff of the RAA and The Weather Station. You should be there.

- Tyler Wade