For singer/songwriter Luther Russell, musical talent runs in the family. His grandfather, Bob Russell, was the legendary songwriter whose collaboration with Duke Ellington and Quincy Jones produced the famous ballad, He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother. Growing up in an artistic neighborhood in California, Luther Russell formed his first band, The Bootheels, alongside Jakob Dylan. In 1989, Russell signed on with Geffen Records with a new rock and roll band, The Freewheelers. Although the band received great critical acclaim, their poor record sales eventually caused their demise in 1996. But Luther Russell wasn’t about to drop out of the music business. Instead, he began a lucrative solo career.
His latest work can be found on the new six-track EP entitled Motorbike released via Wool Recordings. The title song of the EP reveals much about the musical influences of Luther Russell. Offering up a psychedelic rock edge, Motorbikereveals a vocalized and musical style that would make Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan proud. But Russell’s best works are those that contain no lyrics. Instrumental tracks like Dead Sun Bluesand Et Altouch the emotions in such a way that the addition of lyrics would only cheapen the meaning of the song. Despite the musical talent of all six tracks, it would be these two instrumental songs that would touch me the deepest and evoke awe at the musical expertise of Luther Russell.
Motorbike is an EP that would make any fan of the Woodstock era very happy. In fact, I believe that Luther Russell may very well be a man born a few years too late. Had this singer/songwriter been able to attend Woodstock all those years ago, he would be a radio superstar instead of a talented musician just trying to catch a break. Motorbike proves that classic rock is not dead and that Luther Russell is definitely a musician to keep an ear out for in the future.
I’m dubious anytime an artist pimps their new release as sounding like Big Star’s Third/Sister Lovers or the Bryd’s Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Comparing yourself to such firmly-entrenched classics makes listening to the actual song rather underwhelming when it’s not “Kangaroo” or “You’re Still on My Mind.” But in the case of Los Angeles-based songwriter Luther Russell, those classics aren’t too far of base when talking about his new 10-inch record—which he is releasing tonight at Dante’s. Russell has been around a while, releasing albums since 1991 and living in Portland until the early aughts. The best of the bunch might be “Motorbike,” which currently has a video in the works by underground filmmaker Cam Archer, a Gus Van Sant buddy who has helmed clips for Xiu Xiu and Six Organs of Admittance.
Tonight also sees the release of the new joint by Caguama, a local Mexican folk-rock band that do American right. The festivities start at 9:30 pm, with Natron also on the bill for just $8
Luther Russell’s baritone voice skims, skips and slides all over his bluesy, rootsy Americana music on his raw, at times ghostly, EP “Motorbike,” which sounds like its title indicates – music to roll down the road to, all echoey harmonica, banjo, guitar and voice. A noted producer in his own right, Russell will grace us with his presence along with Portland’s Mexican folk rockers Caguama, as well as Natron and some mysterious guests.
Luther Russell, Caguama, Natron, 9:30 p.m. Friday, April 30, Dante’s, 1 S.W. Third Ave. $8 advance, $10 at the door. Info: 503-226-6630,
You may not have heard of Luther Russell, but he’s got plenty of history. Now 39, he signed to Geffen with his band The Freewheelers when barely out of his teens; their debut album had the misfortune to be released on the same day the label put out Nevermind. Growing up in the Californian artist’s colony of Carmel, hanging out with the children of sometime mayor Clint Eastwood, he’d formed his first band, The Bootheels, alongside one Jakob Dylan. If he remained undaunted by such celebrity scions, it was maybe because Luther’s own family history included the likes of grandfather Bob Russell, a legendary lyricist and songwriter who collaborated with Quincy Jones and Duke Ellington, and whose final composition was the Hollies’ weddings-and-wakes howlalong standard, ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.’
“Showbiz kids making movies of themselves,” you might mutter, but no, not really: since The Freewheelers split in the mid-90s, Russell’s been hard at work largely below the radar, re-locating to the wilds of the Pacific north-west and then shuttling back and forth between LA and Brooklyn, quietly releasing four solo albums and gaining a reputation as an independent record producer who’s worked with the likes of Richmond Fontaine, Sarabeth Tucek, Weezer side-project The Relationship and, most recently, rising Manchester band Folks. All of which should give you some idea of what to expect from this six-song EP: traditional, alt-country-informed songwriting, a hint of blues and folk (well, more than a hint, actually), Beatles-via-Big Star power pop, and a sense of wide open panoramic vistas outside, and an intimate melancholy inside, that seems somehow quintessentially the province of the sensitive, bearded American.
Lead track ‘Motorbike’ has a droning, psychedelic edge, as though drawn from the borderline between unfettered dreams and hungover reality. “Take a ride on your motorbike, do the thing you really like to do,” Russell’s ravaged voice drags the lines wearily across the wheels of modal guitar-picking, as though blinking hazily at the morning sunlight streaming in through the cigarette smoke and the coffee haze, and onto his unmade bed. ‘Dead Sun Blues’ is a finger-picking instrumental rumination, a simple exercise almost, out on the porch, considering the emerging day. ‘A World Unknown’ is slide-driven country blues, ticking every generic box while somehow sounding energetic and spontaneous enough to avoid egregious cliché-mining. Better, if no more original in the long run, is ragged rocker ‘Tomorrow’s Papers,’ channelling the recently-departed spirit of Alex Chilton to knot together the Anglo-mod superpop of The Kinks with the Midwestern bar band swagger of The Replacements. The brief but lovely instrumental ‘Et Al’ is followed by the straightforward, heartfelt ballad, ‘Somehow or Another,’ just Luther singing with his old acoustic and Sarabeth Tucek assisting on backing vocals. Clinging to the promise that all things must pass, this prayer for redemption and an end to pain is as Biblically bleak as it is beguiling, as though death and obscurity are our ultimate and only deliverance.
Yes, this EP relies on timeworn forms and structures that in lesser hands convey only laziness and limited imagination. But Russell’s world-weary, bar-worn vocals and loose, unconcerned expertise allow him to unlock the magic that the hacks and the ham-fisted plodders always miss. Plus, unlike so many introspective singer-songwriters, he always remembers to include a memorable melody. If at times he still seems to be searching for his own identity, then his own voice comes through clear in the EP’s overall concern with mortality; an awareness of the limited time available to us, and the necessity of using that time, if not necessarily wisely, then at least without allowing your own happy stupidity to be compromised by cowardice or the intentions of others. Even the major-chord guitar crunch of ‘Tomorrow’s Papers’ is filled with existential unease, and the fear of dying before achieving your artistic aims; the acceptable face of mid-life crisis. As a taster for Russell’s forthcoming full-length offering, it’s intriguing, to say the least. History may find a place for Luther Russell yet.
Possibly my favourite film soundtrack is that for Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous. All I could think as I listened to this sublime EP by Luther Russell is that different songs on it would perfectly fit into that film. A bizarre accolade then, but very fitting, and, I daresay one worthy of some pride.
The 1970s psych-rock tinged ‘Motorbike’ that opens the collection is also undoubtedly its strongest cut; but this isn’t to say there’s a lot more depth to this release. ‘Dead Sun Blues’ is like Wolfmother doing a mash-up cover of Smashing Pumpkins’ ‘Bleeding the Orchid’ and R.E.M’s ‘Electrolite’, while in the stripped-down blues of ‘A World Unknown’ and ‘Et Al’ his own distinct voice and style emerge to great effect. The tone changes markedly when in ‘Tomorrow’s Papers’ he makes the switch to electric guitar, delivering a garage rock gem in the process.
All in all, there’s nothing mind blowingly original here, but there is a great short release that’ll have you bopping your head along on a sunny spring afternoon (hey, we can hope, right?). By the time Sarabeth Tucek’s vocals come in on closer ‘Somehow or Another’, I’m convinced that this EP is quietly brilliant; and I’m sure if you give it a chance, you will be too.
Inviting EP sampler of singer-songwriter psych, pop, folk and blues
Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Luther Russell previews his upcoming double albumThe Invisible Audience with this diverse six-song sampler. Variety has always been one of Russell’s strong point, and here he offers a mix of hypnotic modern rock, drifting country-folk, chugging minimalist blues, gutsy power pop, and an airy piano waltz. There are droplets of 1970s Canterbury prog-rock, Meddle-era Pink Floyd, Revolver-era psychedelia (including fantastic “Rain” styled McCartney high-fret bass trills at the end of “Tomorrow’s Papers”) and the modern iterations of Oasis. It’s a lot to fit into nineteen minutes, but Russell strings it together with terrific fluidity, gaining bonus points for the electric sitar sound on the title track.
CD Review: Luther Russell Gets Going With \"Motorbike\" EP
Singer-songwriter Luther Russell will release a six-song EP entitled \"Motorbike\" On March 15th. These songs are taken from his forthcoming double-album \"The Invisible Audience.\" Russell has produced over 20 albums in the past decade, but this is only his second solo album since moving from Portland, Oregon back to his hometown of Los Angeles.Motorbike begins with the title track that has a very \"Americana\" feel to its sound. The combination of the acoustic guitar and steady drumbeat is the perfect beginning to this short trip through sound. The harmonizing voices of \"Dead Sun Blues\" and \"Et Al\" give off a very laid-back, \"swinging on the front porch\" type vibe. Both songs are well-placed in this concise EP. \"A World Unknown\" sounds like a lost out-take from Blind Faith with it\'s shake-style drumming and acoustic blues guitar riff. \"Tomorrow\'s Paper\" is the \"rock\" song that most people will relate to with its Foo Fighters-type sound. But Russell finishes the EP with an acoustic song \"Somehow or Another\" about rising up from the ashes of defeat.Luther Russell will be performing at the Rockwood Music Hall in New York City before heading overseas for a dozen dates in April. For more information on Luther Russell\'s new EP \"Motorbike\", check out www.lutherrussell.com.
Submitted by Jim Pasinki on Thu, 03/18/2010 - 22:00
<...less> LUTHER RUSSELL – Motorbike EP (Wool) – An EP of songs taken from Luther’s upcoming fifth album (so it say here in the blurb that came with the disc). Opens with a mellow slice of slightly psychedelic easy on the ear Americana, follows it up with something a little more country flavoured and maybe even more mellowed out and even easier on the ear.... Song three opens like it might be a lo-fi piece of Beck style mellow gold with that slide guitar and the easy beat that’s going down, until it turns in to a retro piece of Seventies sounding blues that kind of wants to be a little Hendrix but comes out more Lenny Kravitz (that wasn’t meant to come out sounding so insulting as it did). Mellow songs, subtle laid back blend of classic American rock, blues, country flavoured Americana and rather pleasant relaxed psychedelia. Fourth track rocks out a little more, sounds like a prime piece of Big Star, Byrds, Teenage Fanclub alternative pop... and on we go... Nothing groundbreaking or different, all done with a sense of style and a touch of mellow class though, kind of enjoyable, rather liked it, six song EP...
There is something slight and rather lovely about song two on this EP of oh-no-she’s-not-going-to-use-that-word-is-she?-lawks-yes-she-is \'Americana\'. It is called ‘Dead Sun Blues’ and it is has no words, it is all pluck - just the nice, sunny, warm kind I like.
<...less> Luther Russell - Motorbike Motorbike, debut single from Brooklyn singer-songwriter Luther Russell is like cruising along Highway 66 with the top down and music blaring as the scenery flashes by. Laid-back and cool with Russell’s husky voice edging it along, the song is reminiscent of Howl era BRMC, folky-blues with a nice little psychedelic flourish at the end. The rest of the songs from this six-track EP, two lovely instrumental pieces Dead Sun Blues and Et Al, the 70’s era Clapton blues belter A World Unknown, college-radio rocker Tomorrow’s Papers and the Lou Reed meets Paul Westerberg Somehow Or Another (featuring Sarabeth Tucek) are all strong tracks that showcase Russell’s distinctive vocals and dreamy songwriting skills. Good times. (OS)
<...less> Luther Russell has been releasing great records since 1991. At least that is what I\'ve heard. Truthfully, until recently I\'d never heard of him, but now that I have I can\'t imagine how he flew under my radar before. Based on the material I\'ve now heard, Russell is a mature, thoughtful and skilled musician whittling out trembling, furious stripped down rock n\' roll. But lets be honest, that is what inspires me (and others) to obsess over music - the knowledge that there is always some phenomenal music hovering out there that just hasn\'t flown into my orbit yet. Russell\'s latest offering is the 6-track Motorbike EP due out on March 15 from Wool Recordings. The tracks on Motorbike are all recordings scheduled for release on a upcoming double album titled \"Invisible Audience.\" The video featured above is the for the title track from the EP and is an enticing preview of what to expect from the album. On this track specifically, Russell spins out a tense acoustic-guitar based melody and warm, wood-hewn vocals that manage to simultaneously call to mind both Elliott Smith and Kurt Cobain. You have to admit that sounds pretty awesome, right? Check it out.
LUTHER RUSSELL: \"Motorbike\" EP (Wool Recordings / Ungawa)
RELEASED? 15th March.
SOUNDS LIKE? You do hesitate to argue with the experience, wisdom and objectivity that lies at the heart of every press release, but, try as I might, I\'m not getting much in the way of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club from the title track, more a bucket of guts ripped from the twitching corpse of \"Revolver\"? It is, after all, holding a meandering sitar in check with a dark brown, countryfied production and smeared liberally with Macca style vox. Onward... or not, \"Dead Sun Blues\" being a waste of fucking tape, let alone time, buck up kids. Oh, they have, \"A World Unknown\" is a world well known to anyone with a Smog record, but smart little swamp blues rattle, shiver and stamp all the same.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Yes it is. I moan and carp, but this is a quality slab.
Luther Russell releases the brand new, six-track \'Motorbike\' EP on March 15 on Wool Recordings/Ungawa. The songs on the EP are taken from his upcoming fifth solo album – a double entitled \'The Invisible Audience\' – and were selected and sequenced by Sarabeth Tucek, who also sings on \'Somehow Or Another\'.
Musically the EP takes in the psychedelic Americana of the title track, which is reminiscent of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club circa \'Howl\', the stripped-down blues of \'A World Unknown\', the power-pop of \'Tomorrow\'s Papers\' and the short but sweet \'Dead Sun Blues\' and \'Et Al\', which sound like outtakes from \'Sweetheart Of The Rodeo\' and \'Third/Sister Lovers\' respectively. What keeps these seemingly disparate influences together is Luther\'s effortless way with a melody and the warm, analogue sound.
\"It was recorded to eight-track one-inch tape with most instruments played by yours truly,\" says Luther, who has produced records by Richmond Fontaine and the aforementioned Sarabeth Tucek. \"People have really responded to the song \'Motorbike\', so I thought an EP built around it would be a nice way of calling attention to the new album.\"
He\'s not wrong, especially as the EP looks so good. As well as a digital release it will be available on an extremely limited-edition white vinyl 12-inch, which comes with a postcard shot by underground filmmaker Cam Archer. Archer, who has previously worked with Gus Van Sant and made videos for the likes of Xiu Xiu and Six Organs Of Admittance, is currently working on a video for \'Motorbike\'.
The Freewheelers never got much past the first rung, but to their fans the Portland band meant a lot. Luther Russell was their leader, so he obviously meant the most. After several solo albums, Russell really gets it right on Repair. Of course, it cost him a marriage to write these songs, so only he knows if it was worth it. For the listener, the album is a perilous peek inside a world of hurt, a place that feels like the end is the only way out. Russell’s voice is slightly shredded, but it also has a reserve of strength behind it that hints he’s going to get through the worst of it. “Rise & Shine” is that moment when life feels like one more promise might make everything all right-- when a heroic act will do the trick—but disaster is clearly inevitable. And that’s the good news which starts the album. Musically, every song feels like it was written during Portland’s rainy season, and a raincoat could come in handy when listening to them. Producer Ethan Johns makes sure there aren’t any unnecessary intrusions; some tasteful strings here and there but nothing to avoid confronting what Russell is going through. As for a happy ending, it just isn’t meant to be. Luther Russell makes Paul Westerberg seem like Howdy Doody, with Clarabell the Clown nowhere in sight.
Ethan Johns, famed producer of King Of Leon, Ryan Adams and the last Razorlight album (though let’s not hold that against him), here turns his attentions to the fourth long-player by former Freewheelers frontman Luther Russell. It is a canny album that works largely by stealth, due in no small part, one imagines, to Johns’ ability to locate a catchiness in even the most nascent of songs. Written following Russell’s divorce, the sombreness of the lyrics is frequently buffeted by crisp, sprightly melodies abd cheery power-pop refrains--most notably on the opening track Rise & Shine, a tale of sanity, skeletons and the inability to get out of bed that sounds, musically, more like a trip down Big Sur. there are undeniable shades of Elliott Smith and Ryan Adams here, but Russell is evidently in possession of a style all his own, most notably on the albums most arresing track, Parachute, which swings between sweet, tickly guitars and a southern rock bombast. Laura Barton
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If you’re not familiar with L.A.-native Luther Russell’s music, then you probably haven’t been paying close enough attention. I know I wasn’t. Not only has he been making his own music—in the early ’90s with the Freewheelers and on his own since ‘97—but his producer credits include a couple of records by Portland-based outfit Richmond Fontaine, among others (read AD’s April interview with RF’s Willy Vlautin here). He has recently teamed with famed producer Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Ray LaMontagne, Kings of Leon, Ben Kweller, et al.) to help put out a forthcoming LP from Los Angeles folk maiden Sarabeth Tucek. Johns also happens to have paired with Russell for Russell’s own 2007 release Repair. It’s not difficult to see why this is such a seamless collaboration.
Repair highlights Russell’s assorted talents as a singer-songwriter. Russell moves, at times, from simple, smooth folk and easy pop to raspier alt-country tones and trimmed-down blues. Even while melding a few distinct sounds, the album has very few blemishes – a testament to Russell’s maturity as a musician and experience as a producer.
If you like Ryan Adams, Paul Westerberg and Jeff Tweedy, you’ll probably dig at least a few tracks here.
–Youngling #2
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Anyone who enjoys Wilco’s scuffed, sleepy Americana should get a kick out of Luther Russell, a beardy troubadour whose rich, dustbowl croon has more than a touch of the Jeff Tweedys about it.
A native of Portland, Oregon, Russell has been making albums, as a singer-songwriter and producer-for-hire, since 1991. But moving to LA in 2002 seems to have ignited his muse, and his new album Repair is the first time he’s caught the ear of the wider world.
A sparsely ornamented ballad, lyrically Everybody Falls demonstrates a sharp eye for melancholy detail (“Beads of lamplight on the ‘pane… We talk like morse-code/Tap-tapping on cold, cold graves”), complete with the barbed pay-off, “Everybody falls in love/Except for you.”
You can download Everybody Falls, along with the rest of Russell’s new album Repair, from
... or you can have a listen on [Myspace].
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**** (Four Stars) On his fourth solo outing, ex-Freewheelers frontman Russell sings in a fallen choirboy’s tenor redolent of misspent youth, lessons learned and a stoic acceptance of loss – like Alex Chilton on one of his least cynical days. Songs with Beatlesque surfaces and dark interiors trace the well-worn path from self-inflicted and romantic pain to hard-earned redemption, but Russell’s puppy-dog genuineness and the empathetically understated playing and production of Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Ray LaMontagne, Kings Of Leon), keep things righteously real throughout. “Everybody Falls” is his loveliest song, but the LP’s psychological center is “Black Leather Coat,” a man-in-the-mirror inner dialogue that shifts uneasily between recrimination and pep talk. BUD SCOPPA
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SONGWRITER
Luther Russell
Love — and its dissolution — may be messy. But on his fantastic new solo record, “Repair,” former Portlander Luther Russell has managed to turn that mess into a wonderfully coherent album that’s earning him the highest marks of his career.
Written in the aftermath of a messy divorce and a move back to his native Los Angeles, it’s a gloriously catchy, honest waltz through the wreck of a relationship that uses Russell’s ragged, wounded voice to full effect.
--Barbara Mitchell
9:30 p.m. SATURDAY, Sept. 29, Berbati’s Pan, 10 S.W. Third Ave., 503-226-2122, $12
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Luther Russell returns
Friday, September 28, 2007
CURT SCHULZ
Special to The Oregonian
Strictly speaking, Luther Russell hasn\'t been a Northwest artist since he moved back to his hometown of Los Angeles a few years ago, but the substantial shadow he cast during his time in town (three solo CDs, a slew of production credits for other acts and a reputation as one of the nicest guys on the scene) should guarantee him a local hero\'s welcome for his album release party Saturday night.
Even if Russell could just about fill Berbati\'s simply by inviting all the people he\'s worked with in Portland, \"Repair\" should draw plenty of fans in on its own merits.
A big leap forward from the sparse aesthetic of Russell\'s 2001 acoustic blues CD, \"Spare Change,\" \"Repair\" draws from a far lusher array of sounds, even if the CD\'s overall theme (the slow healing of emotional sore spots) seems to play against the upbeat vibes of most of the tracks. On the Beatles-esque opener, \"Rise and Shine\" (the solo is essentially a George Harrison outtake), Russell contrasts the lightness of the vibe with an uneasy couplet: \"Good morning sunshine here I come/To watch the rising of the undead.\"
Although expansive and ambitious, the production is given plenty of room to breathe and is obviously the intimate product of a few guys locked in the same room working with the basics: wooden instruments, guitar wires and Russell\'s voice.
Regardless of the disc\'s Zip code of origin, \"Repair\" is an accomplished collection of work from a writer working at the top of his abilities.
northwest CD Repair
Artist: Luther Russell
Grade: A-
Label: Ungawa/Adrenaline
Coming up: CD release party, 9 p.m. Saturday, Berbati\'s Pan; $10; also appearing: Fernando, Danny Delamatyr and Natron
Web site: http://lutherrussell.com
Curt Schulz is a Portland freelance writer; schulzcurt@hotmail.com
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Luther Russell Repair In issue #49 we interviewed Ethan Johns, who had just finished recording, producing and drumming (and more) on this album for my pal Luther Russell. Tracking and mixing took place at Ethan’s Three Crows Studio and includes Luther’s former Freewheelers band members Jason Hiller on bass and Chris Joyner on some of the piano and Wurlitzer. According to Luther, the songs were “cut primarily live... that is, you know, everyone in the same room (yes, even the lead vocals, god forbid) and it was tracked very nice and hot to 16-track 2-inch tape.” It’s got a great early seventies feel to it - the live tracking gives it such a “real” feel that you are transported to the session. Great job guys! (lutherrussell.com) -LC
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REPARATIONS
Luther Russell returns with his first solo album in six years.
BY JAY HORTON |[September 26th, 2007]
“I do consider myself a Portlander!”
It’s been a few years since Luther Russell—rootsy troubadour, former Freewheeler, beloved producer (Fernando, Richmond Fontaine)—left our fair city, but he hasn’t forgotten about us: “I come back, I still have all these friends that I enjoy playing with, and that’s why it was so important for me to not just do a record release in L.A.—to show that Portland matters as much to me, if not more.”
Russell’s returning to Portland to play his new album, Repair, in its entirety. It’s his fourth solo effort (and his first in six years), and—in keeping with its pseudo-homecoming release show—it’s an examination of the circumstances that originally drew him from Stumptown. “In a nutshell, I was married for eight years and separated at the very end of 2002. At the same point, my grandmother fell ill, so I decided to pick up and move [back] to L.A.,” says the 37-year-old gravely. “By the time I got there, she’d already passed away. I was roughing it for a couple months, definitely a couch tour. didn’t know what I was doing, and it took about a year and a half until I ran into Ethan [Johns] at Amoeba [Records] and started to get the ball rolling on a new album.”
Johns, producer of bigtime roots-rock acts Kings of Leon and Ryan Adams, among many others, chose a selection of the 20-some tunes Russell had written over the past few years and persuaded him to record a solo album. At the first session, Russell arrived at Johns’ studio to find Ethan setting things up with his father—legendary Beatles, Stones and Who producer Glyn Johns. “It was intimidating as fuck, y’know? I’d never actually recorded with Ethan, let alone Glyn, and this is the guy that did [i]Let It Be ! That first day in the studio was just kinda magical,” Russell continues. “We actually came out with two songs that only needed guitar overdubs, and that gave me the confidence to go ahead and make the record.”
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Recording live with Johns on drums and former Freewheelers Jason Hiller and Chris Joyner adding bass and piano, respectively, Russell avoided singer-songwriterly preciousness on Repair while maintaining a direct intimacy—a charming companion reflecting upon his years in the wilderness. “There were a couple tracks directly influenced by the separation, but the whole album is about relationships—primarily the one I was getting into,” the bearded California native explains. “At those times, your emotions are all mixed up, and there’s been this steady trail of…death since I came down to L.A., starting with my grandmother’s and ending with a best friend. And then another friend. The album’s about trying to take it all in stride.”
Despite the tormented subject matter, Repair ’s hardly a depressing listen. Tracks veer from effortless, enlightened pop reminiscent of Elliott Smith to rootsier ambles, but they never sink beneath the weight of their subjects. “For me, it’s a little over-the-top to be dark lyrically and musically,” explains Russell. “If anyone picked apart my lyrics, they’d find them rather…not negative, but who sings about the happy shit going on in their lives? There’s always more unhappy things going on, anyway—so I’ve more to sing about.”
But, with everything Russell has planned—an extended U.K. tour, production gigs, a rock album to be recorded in L.A. and Portland next winter—that may change. Does he worry about lingering happiness working its way into future efforts?
Laughing, he says, “I don’t think that’ll ever be a problem.” Russell celebrates the release of Repair on Saturday, Sept. 29, with Fernando and Danny Delamatyr at Berbati’s Pan. 9:30 pm. $10. 21+.
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Singer smiling at everything sad
It\'s noon on Tuesday, the day Luther Russell\'s fourth album, \"Repair,\" is released, and the first thing out of the singer-songwriter\'s mouth encapsulates the emotional tenor of the record. \"That\'s me, smiling at everything that could possibly be sad,\" he says, pausing and then laughing. \"There you have it. End of interview.\"
How the 36-year-old arrived at his sage stage is the back story of \"Repair,\" a title you can take to mean \"some sort of therapeutic thing, or the double-entendre, like to repair home,\" he says.
Indeed, Russell\'s latest songs materialized after he returned to his native Los Angeles in 2002 after eight years in Portland, Ore. \"When you play a gig up there, it\'s not like you\'re looking out into the audience to see who [from the record industry] might be checking you out,\" the former Freewheelers frontman says. \"I realized, \'Hey, if I\'m doing it here, it must be because I like it.\' And when I moved back down here, I brought that attitude with me.\"
But his move back to L.A. was fraught with real-life problems -- his divorce, as well as illnesses in his family -- that slowed his artistic progress yet \"probably informed the songs,\" he says. When \"Repair\" was finally recorded, virtually live and with producer Ethan Johns (Kings of Leon, Ryan Adams), it was a quick process.
Russell plays Saturday night at the Echo. Among the openers is Sarabeth Tucek, whose album Russell co-produced.
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LUTHER RUSSELL
BY LARRY CRANE
My friend Luther Russell and I have worked together on a number of records for artists
and years ago we spent a lot of an Internet music site’s money making a solo record for Luther that never came out. One day I received an excited call from him saying he’d be working with Glyn Johns in the studio the following morning. Glyn, whose discography reads like the history of music in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s (the Beatles, the Who, the Stones, the Clash, the Faces, Led Zeppelin), was in town to help Ethan sort out the console he’d given him and ended up helping with a day’s worth of tracking on Luther’s album that Ethan was producing and playing on. I also was curious about an artist’s reaction to Ethan’s live recording process.
HOW DID THE SESSION WITH GLYN COME ABOUT?
Ethan and I had talked about the coming sessions for a while, sort of waiting patiently for the appropriate window to start this particular type of thing. When the window finally came and he invited me down, he told me that his dad was in town and he would be joining us initially to assist with the sessions. Before I knew it we were cutting the first two songs.
WHAT WAS GLYN LIKE TO WORK WITH?
I knew it was a rare opportunity and that Ethan and Glyn hadn’t done much together by way of co-production or anything, so I was ready to learn alot. The short time I had to work with Glyn was extremely fun, informative and invaluable as a studio experience. Most of all it was just an honor to have someone of that caliber focus on my music.
HOW DID ETHAN WANTING TO GET LIVE PERFORMANCES CHANGE THE WAY YOU’VE WORKED IN THE PAST?
Didn’t change it too much in the sense that I discovered quite a while ago that I seem to do better playing mostly live in the studio. So I was pretty happy he wanted to do it that way.
WOULD YOU RECORD DIFFERENTLY IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE OF THIS EXPERIENCE?
It’s not that I would record differently, it’s just that it confirms in my mind how I should record. i like it alot and it keeps the music fresh.
DID YOU EVER GET FRUSTRATED WITH THE PROCESS?
Not really. Working with Ethan was easygoing for a couple of reasons. We’re just compatible musically and, in fact, for some reason we even bypassed typical pre-production on this one. It just sort of fell together.
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Case, Russell could be L.A.\'s folk-rock brothers
August 5, 2007
Peter Case
\"Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John\" (Yep Roc)
* * * 1/2 (out of 4)
Luther Russell
\"Repair\" (Ungawa/Adrenaline Music Group)
* * * (out of 4)
If Peter Case were writing a tune about the paths that he and fellow Los Angeles singer Luther Russell have traveled, this Woody Guthrie devotee might portray them as railroad tracks that converge and then split apart, only to circle back together in unlikely confluence.
If Russell were to do the same, it would more likely be an impressionistic, metaphorical contemplation of time and fate.
No matter how you frame it, longtime followers of Los Angeles rock will find a cosmic connection in the fact that these two have albums out the same day (Tuesday) and are playing separate shows the same night (Saturday) to mark the occasion.
Case and Russell represent successive generations in the city\'s music scene, with Case\'s band the Plimsouls bringing a British Invasion dash and urgency to the new wave of the early \'80s, and Russell\'s Freewheelers emerging in the early \'90s with a sound that ranged from heartland anthems to soul-inflected folk-rock. (In the first instance of common history, both released albums on Geffen Records, though nearly a decade apart.)
Since his solo debut in 1986, Case has become a revered figure in the contemporary folk world, and his 10th solo album takes him back to the basics. The collection, whose title references the great bluesman Sleepy John Estes, is a stripped-down, mainly acoustic affair, with producer Ian Brennan taking the kind of immediate, let-it-roll approach he did on Ramblin\' Jack Elliott\'s recent \"I Stand Alone.\"
It\'s very much in the spirit of Guthrie, with Case lashing out vehemently at injustice -- the \"Million Dollar Bail\" that sprung Phil Spector (who isn\'t named but is clearly the subject of the song), corporate treachery, the plight of the homeless. He also describes the allure and demands of the vagabond life, with a focus and a ragged-voiced authenticity that makes you feel every bump in the road.
Russell adopted a similar solo troubadour stance on his last album, in 2001, and on \"Repair\" he plays a few traditional figures that intersect with Case\'s music. But on this fourth solo outing he primarily follows folk into its pop permutations, with Beatles-shaded arrangements supporting his warm, sympathetic voice.
With Ethan Johns in the same producer-musician role he had on singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne\'s two acclaimed albums, \"Repair\" delivers its hook-filled material with a live directness that enhances Russell\'s spirit of hard-won optimism.
Case will play at the Folk Music Center in Claremont on Saturday, while Russell headlines at the Echo. Next time, they should plan a double bill and bring it full circle.
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On his fourth album, Repair, singer-songwriter Luther Russell has assembled a satisfying mix of Americana, blues, indie folk, and downcast pop. The album kicks off with the Elliott Smith-y “Rise & Shine”, turning Revolver-era Beatles hooks into melancholic DIY pop. Catchy single “Everybody Falls in Love”, with its lazy charm and Byrds-like guitar picking, nods to Jeff Tweedy without copycatting. “When Your Way Gets Dark” is low-key boogie-woogie blues, complete with tickled ivories and turnarounds on the bass. Repair is a charming record, but it doesn’t try very hard to get noticed. If you’re willing to put in the time, though, Luther Russell’s latest will bring you many small rewards.
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Luther Russell - Repair
By Todd Totale
July 26, 2007
Luther Russell - Repair (Adrenaline)
For 16 years, Luther Russell has been releasing records, initially as a member of The Freewheelers and, since 1997, as a solo artist. Even though both Freewheelers records had the added benefit of being released on major labels and even though practically every record that Russell has touched resulted in positive feedback from critics, there’s a good possibility that many readers are muttering “Luther who?” to themselves right now.
Part of the reason for this is because Luther tends to approach each new album with a blank palate, and the resulting portraits tend to be exclusive of one another. Some of the same colors may be used in each album, but none of them tend to sound alike. Just when a few fans have got him pegged, he moves on to another style, leaving the supporters of the first direction a little put off.
Thankfully, Luther Russell has managed to avoid such frustrations on the mere fact that he’s a talented musician that’s able to move around rock, acoustic blues, and folk genres without too much distraction.
Russell’s fourth solo album, Repair, finds him abandoning the folk directions laid on his last album (Spare Change) and cozying up to a more pop course.
Opening with the chamber-pop exercise “Rise & Shine,” it’s clear that Luther’s comfortable with his latest fling and, more importantly, nothing sounds contrived.
It helps that Russell, either intentionally or economically, keeps a live sound throughout Repair. Sparingly produced by Ethan Johns, the arrangements are uncluttered and lilt brightly ahead, even when the subjects themselves are a little dark.
“Parachute” probably stands out as the brightest song on the disk, with Russell’s wonderfully building up the tension with some clever acoustic slide before letting the amplifiers make their appearance with a minute-and-a-half left to spare.
Bright, hooky, and full of the same kind of nostalgia that’s brought Wilco notoriety, Repair is an album that’s only flaw may be its choice of a title: there’s very little on it that needs fixing at all.
By Todd Totale, July 26, 2007
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Luther Russell
Repair
Ungawa/Adrenaline Records
**** (Four Stars)
Acoustic music, in general, isn\'t my thing. I tend to find it a bit boring and plodding, overall. So imagine my surprise when I found myself quite in love with Luther Russell\'s new release Repair. Acoustic, poppy blues with a thick electric bass in the background, and I\'m hooked.
I really can\'t find anything bad to say about this album. The first track, particularly \"Rise and Shine\" is forever stuck in my head; it\'s got a catchy hook of a chorus, a general good beat and fun lyrics. Russell\'s voice is mid-range and smooth, flowing well with dual guitar melodies and a nice thumping blues bass in the background. Lyrical delivery is tight and on beat at all times, further syncing the music together.
There\'s obvious classic rock influences here; Eric Clapton comes to mind almost immediately, but in a couple of tracks I seem to here a bit of the darker, newer blues-ish style of bands like Murder By Death. Russell does an excellent job of being influenced by past artists without ripping them off.
The production of the album adds a lot to it as well; it\'s not perfect, and there\'s times where you can hear a bit of grain behind the music. But it seems to add to sound instead of taking away from it, giving it a more down-to-earth, meaningful overtone.
The music, in general, is fairly simple, and it works perfectly. It doesn\'t need to be complicated to be good, and the songs on Repair showcase that excellently. Simple drum beats, low, slow bass lines and mellow acoustic rhythms all form together and paint a wonderful picture for each song.
I really can\'t get enough of this album. I think I\'ll be singing along to it for weeks to come, and even after that still have a good chunk of the songs stuck in my head. Kudos to you, Luther Russell, for showing me not all acoustic music is boring.
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LUTHER RUSSELL
Repair
(Ungawa/Adrenaline)
It’s an all too familiar story, with a couple twists. Promising young major
label artist gets dropped, his band (here, the Freewheelers) breaks up, and
a couple solo indie releases later, the guy wonders what happened to his
career and regroups. In Luther Russell’s case, add on top of that a tough
divorce. So he moved back to his hometown of LA. There, shopping one day, he
ran into an old pal, producer Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Jayhawks, etc.).
Johns urged Russell to make a record with him. So the two of them
collaborated on what ranks as the best work of Russell’s career, the start
to finish quality song cycle you keep waiting for Paul Westerberg or Ryan
Adams to release.
Chock full of relatively unadorned pop gems, chronicling the search for
where the relationship got lost and how to pick up those pieces. Russell’s
vocals have never felt this assured nor have his words rang this true. The
raw honesty here, without any hint of mawkishness or false melancholy,
simply resonates.
Two tracks in particular stand out. “Lightning Strikes” is a moving ballad
that out of nowhere delivers a walloping finish with giant chiming guitar
chords and an irresistible near sing-along chorus. And, “Everybody Falls” is
perfect in every way, the pop hit the major label A&R geeks probably
complained Russell never wrote for them, with a great vocal hook:
I guess everybody falls in love
everybody falls in love .
everybody falls in love
except for you.
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Luther Russell
Repair
Ungawa/Adrenaline
Luther Russell has some fantastic luck; both good and bad. And it is all captured in an intimate and melodic new record called Repair.
First, Russell’s best friend died. Then, Russell’s wife of eight years divorced him (which is probably where his inspiration for “Everybody Falls” came from, with the chorus “Everybody falls in love/ Except for you”). As if that wasn’t enough, he then almost lost his right hand in an accident. He couldn’t play any instruments for several months thereafter.
His luck started to turn however. He moved back to Los Angeles and had several chance meetings with producer Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Ray LaMontagne, Kings of Leon), who insisted they work on a record together. And that is where Russell started putting the past several years into Repair.
Whether it’s the bitterness in his voice on “Black Leather Coat,” or the optimism in the opener “Rise & Shine,” Luther Russell captures the essence of emotion beautifully.
Repair is very similar to Ryan Adams in that it is very acoustic, but the sound is more rebel country and less rock, especially in “Nothing Else Remains” which has a strong bluegrass feel. Repair is a must for any alt-country lover, and a nice prescription for those wallowing from a broken relationship.
Luther Russell: www.lutherrussell.com
Tim Wardyn
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Luther Russell\'s Repair is much more of a pop affair. I knew I recognized his name, and it came back to me when I read the bio on his Web site, which reveals that he produced recordings by the Portland-based Fernando and Richmond Fontaine when he was also living there. He recently moved to L.A., where he put together this record with the superb musician and producer Ethan Johns. Its 11 tracks were recorded mostly live, with everybody in one room doing everything including the vocals, which doesn\'t happen much these days.
The lyrical tone is dark, reflecting some recent bad times in Russell\'s life. But the sound is frequently upbeat. The opening track, \"Rise and Shine,\" as well as \"My Own Blood\" both have a strong Paul McCartney \"Good Day Sunshine\" vibe to them in spite of their rather downbeat subject matter. Elsewhere, such as in \"Blinking Star,\" he affects another Paul -- Westerberg this time. The middle part of the album is particularly strong, including \"Lightning Strikes,\" which starts out a sad acoustic ballad and breaks into a mid-tempo rocker about halfway through; \"My Own Blood,\" with a jaunty rhythm, fuzz-tone guitar and lots of clever wordplay in the lyrics; and \"Black Leather Coat,\" another upbeat tune behind bitter lyrics, a put-down song almost worthy of Richard Thompson. And Russell shows off some blues chops, complete with striding piano and resonator guitar, on \"When Your Way Gets Dark.\"
You can listen to some tracks on Russell\'s MySpace page.
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Luther Russell Repair (Ungawa/Adrenaline)
More piano and acoustic guitar pop rockers. I really do like this sound, and Russell\'s ventures into the roots side of things adds something new to the mix. This one won\'t bowl you over, but rather it quietly impresses more and more as it plays on.
The
roots \'n\' rolling Freewheelers were one of Los Angeles\' most underrated
\'90s bands. Frontman Luther Russell moved to Portland, Ore. and
released several mostly acoustic solo folk-pop albums. Now he\'s
returned to his hometown with autobiographical tales of accusation,
desperation, loss and divorce.
Repair reflects when a songwriter hits an emotional bottom and
masterfully finds his way back up. Throughout the lean and sometimes
mean Repair, Russell shows how to be personal without sacrificing
authority and how to express one\'s sensitive side while avoiding
sounding maudlin or dreary.
The soulfully subdued “Lightning Strikes” is a downcast romantic
rejection deftly supported by bass and Russell\'s Nick Lowe-ish voice.
Pop piece “My Own Blood” evokes \'70s groups such as Badfinger, as the
author concedes his marriage disabilities: “I can\'t leave your side,
instead I trade my pride to hide inside a pool of my own blood.”
Putting aside the acrimonious lyrics, Repair stresses melody, confidence and ironically is often warm and friendly.
From the moment Luther Russell’s new album, Repair,
began playing in my headphones I knew I was in for a treat, but I also
felt a wave of frustration overtake me. On the one hand I was grateful
there was this wonderful voice and talent being introduced to me, but I
couldn’t help feeling sad I’d never noticed Russell before. There is a
part of me that prides myself on being fairly experienced as a fan of
music, and it just kills me when I find I am late to discovering good
music.
On a side note, that same part of me causes my wife no
end of headaches, as it often drives me to purchase everything this new
artist — new to me, leastways — has ever recorded in their entire life.
And yes, I’ll admit to being an obsessive twit, dear wife, as I know
you’ll eventually read this review and shake your head at me.
At
least in the case of Russell and his music, though, I can claim a
legitimate excuse as to why I’m late to the party. When faced with the
breakup of his marriage, the former front man for the Freewheelers,
dealt with the heartache and depression by stepping away from the world
of music, entirely.
“After I moved back to Los Angeles, after a
tough separation and divorce, I was a bit lost creatively,” Russell
explained to Indie music blog, Obscure Sound.
Luckily, Russell
found his way out of his creative funk, thanks to a chance meeting of
Ethan Johns, producer of such artists as Ryan Adams and the Kings of
Leon, while in a record shop. Mutual admiration led to the both of them
talking and eventually getting together to allow Russell a chance to
find a musical outlet to the stress and emotions that had been bottled
up within him.
Slowly at first, and with more surety as things
began to sound better than Russell feared, the two continued work and
eventually ended up with the completion of Russell’s fourth album, and
judging from repeated listens to his earlier three — I told you I was
obsessive! — his best work to date.
While not as enthusiastically experimental and ambitious as his previous work, Repair
just manages to have this laid-back sense of an artist who found
something that works for him at this part of his life, and then rode it
for all it was worth. Catchy hooks, enjoyable melodies, and some of the
loveliest lyrics dealing with decidedly unlovely emotions as you are
ever likely to encounter, all adds up a remarkable album.
In a
world of artists who release albums filled to the brim with calculated
song-writing and choreographed emotion — James Blunt, anyone? — Repair
is a refreshing blend of stripped-down confessional songs that never
pretend to be anything other than themselves, or their author. Perhaps
due to the heartbreak that inspired them, the immediacy of Russell and
Johns deciding to record each song live and in-studio with nearly no
overdubs, or even due to nothing more or less than an artist finally
catching up to his potential — Russell’s Repair is a wonderful collection of what can fairly be described as folk-pop.
Know what else it can be described as? Good music.
Standout
tracks include “Rise and Shine,” “ Everybody Falls,” “My Own Blood,”
and the album’s first single “The Razor.” If my words have made you the
least bit curious as to what this album sounds like, Russell has
uploaded three of the album’s songs onto his myspace page.
While the album has not yet reached nationwide release in stores, if
listening to his songs has you wanting to purchase the album, it is
currently available on itunes.
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On “Repair” Luther Russell, the former frontman of The Free Wheelers, tries to come to terms with his best friend’s death, his divorce and an accident which nearly cost him his right hand. But through all of the traumas, Russell somehow pulls it together with assistance from producer Ethan Johns (Ray LaMontagne, Kings of Leon, Ryan Adams).
Bouncy melodies and lightly pounding piano put a pop twist on the otherwise unassuming soft rock of tracks like “Rise And Shine” and “My Own Blood.” Light background vocals accent “Lightning Strikes” for a Sebadoh-like sound with warm melodic riffs. Elsewhere, on “Parachute” Russell plays with dynamics, building the barely audible melody into a full one driven by slide guitar and steady drumming while “When Your Way Gets Dark” gives him a chance to rock on the blues inspired tune. Russell pulls things together with the swirling folk infused “Nothing Else Remains,” the song’s sharp melody leading the charge.
There is something distinctly Lennon-esque about Luther Russell’s fourth solo album. A little bit John and a little bit Julian, Russell rolls a number of 60s and 70s favorites into his music to serve as inspiration. Russell seems in complete control of himself and his vocals throughout the album, a fact that sometimes seems at odd with his lyrics as he never really lets himself go. Although the outside influences are clear on “Repair” it never becomes too much, as the light melodies are ever changing with hints of blues and folk.
60\'s pocket symphony pop is so much in fashion these days that I am actually starting to resent Brian Wilson. Was Pet Sounds worth Sufjan Stevens and Bright Eyes? Tough call. Anyway, Luther Russell is to be very much commended for making Repair in a clear but not ornate style. Just a few keyboard and percussion touches are all that\'s needed to flesh out the workmanlike guitar-bass-drums-vocal shape of these tunes. Russell\'s got the gift; he can reliably turn trusted old chords into arresting new songs. He\'s got style too, with a likably lived-in voice and a signature giddy slide guitar scrape. The deceptively titled \"My Own Blood\" is a tightly-structured little march that mixes Tin Pan Alley discipline with a super-tasteful lead guitar lick. Russell could stand to write a few more songs where his vocal charisma increases to the level demonstrated on \"Black Leather Coat,\" but Repair still comes highly recommended to fans of Wilco\'s Being There or well-crafted yet unfussy pop/rock in general
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Luther Russell - Repair (CD, Adrenaline, Pop)
If you have become disillusioned by the mounting seas of overproduced artists who are more concerned with their hair and their clothing than their music...you may very well fall in love with the music of Luther Russell. In a world where so many folks try to hide the fact that their songs have little or no substance, Luther\'s approach is refreshing and ultimately very real. Although this is Russell\'s fourth album, it is apparently his first full blown pop release (earlier discs featured either bare bones acoustic recordings or instrumentals). This man is, first and foremost, a songwriter. Instead of using arrangements and overdubs to mislead the listener, the sounds and instruments in these tracks have one main purpose...which is to support the vocal melodies and the songs themselves. Russell\'s style of songwriting is reminiscent of Alex Chilton in many ways. His tunes are infused with reflective, personal lyrics that are delivered with surprisingly genuine integrity. We\'d be willing to bet our britches that Repair will become a favorite underground classic in the months and years ahead. Fantastic cuts include \"Rise and Shine,\" \"Everybody Falls\" (our favorite), \"Blinking Star,\" \"The Razor,\" and \"Want You To Know.\" Classic, classy pop. Highly recommended. (Rating: 5+++)
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Luther Russell – Repair
(Ungawa/Adrenaline)
A veteran of some fairly unheralded bands in the 90s (The Freewheelers, anyone?), Russell has since pursued a solo career and this, his latest effort, is about as honest and real as modern folk-pop can be. To his credit, he keeps his vocal overdubs to a bare minimum, which lends an air of intimacy to the proceedings. \'Repair\' is a stripped-down, confessional collection of songs that don\'t pretend to be more than just that, which is refreshing in a sea of James Blunt fake-folksters. Kudos to Russell for crafting a work of considerable warmth that bucks the trends and gets to the heart of it all. Quality work.
-- Rob Wickett
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One of the strongest features of Luther Russell\'s \"Repair\" is the vocals, most of the songs are so catchy they stick in your head for days, and the vocals are so-on-key it is seriously irresistible to listen to.
As far as today’s somewhat-indie-somewhat-folky scene goes, Luther Rusell is perfect. I really didn\'t know who he was until I listened to this CD, and did some research. It turns out he has been making music for years & years, and has earned his place in the indie/folk scene. \"Repair\" is a rich catchy indie-folk album, full of cathcy choruses, & amazing guitar work.
Like I said above, one of the most amazing attributes of \"Repair\" is the vocals, Luther utilizes them to the max. Another strong point I would like to point out is the guitar work, some of the songs on the record are just jaw dropping, the guitar work with the vocals is an excellent combination.
Some of my favorite songs on Repair are “Everybody Falls”, Lighting Strikes”, and “The Razor”. “Everybody Falls” focuses mainly on the vocals, with a very faint acoustic guitar in the background, and the song drifts between sounding tragically empty and choir-like. “Lighting Strikes” has a nostalgic tone with a slight desperation to it and features a tradeoff of mumbled and strong vocals between verse and chorus. “The Razor” separates itself from the far folkier sound of most of Repair and leans to a slightly more atmospheric sound, and mixes light guitar and ukulele with sweet vocals and a twinkling beat.
Luther Russell had a lot of work ahead of him in order to create an album that wouldn’t fall short of the success. Overall, Repair shows an already great artist growing and expanding his sound even more.
~ Jesse
April 23 2007
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Luther Russell has spent almost two decades in the Americana scene—since before there even was an Americana scene—and while he’s yet to become a well-known name, the time he’s spent with his old band the Freewheelers and on his own has allowed Russell to hone his craft. On his latest album Repair, Russell layers his basic troubadour roots-rock with touches of Monkees-like verve and Alex Chilton-style yearning, and the result is a record that feels at once deeply personal yet appealingly relaxed. Working alongside producer/drummer Ethan Johns, Russell gives songs like “Everybody Falls” and “Lightning Strikes” a radio-ready punch, reminiscent of a more cleaned-up Wilco or a poppier Peter Case. And yet Repair doesn’t feel overly studied or fussed-over. Most of the songs were recorded live, and there’s a kind of “grip it and rip it” air to Repair that only a songwriter as confident and accomplished as Russell can pull off well. There’s real emotion here too, even when the melodies are jaunty, as on “Everybody Falls,” where Russell sings about how “everybody falls in love…except for you,” and the listener gets the sense that Russell’s looking into a mirror.
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During a time of great melancholy or distress, many individuals find themselves at a surprisingly high artistic peak, purely triggered by a rush of emotion or shock. As unfortunate as the event may be, perilous situations are often equatable to artistic success in the case of several artists. Looking back on romanticist painters and composers, it is doubtful that one will discover many influential artists who had a smooth journey through life. As ironic as it may sound, elements of depression can sometimes lead to unsurmountable success. Luther Russell displayed the maturity to turn one of the most heartbreaking situations of his life into the greatest artistic success of his musical career. The former frontman of The Freewheelers wrote his fourth solo album, Repair, in the midst of a troubled divorce from his wife. To escape the torturous thought of remaining near to the site of tragedy, Russell moved back to his hometown of Los Angeles. While there, he had sudden thoughts of discontinuing his blossoming music career due to stress and emotional distraction. “After I moved back to Los Angeles, after a pretty tough separation and divorce, I was a bit lost creatively,” Russell explained. Shortly afterward, out of fortunate fate, Russell ran into producer Ethan Johns (known for his or with Ryan Adam and Kings of Leon) at a local record store in LA. Johns had held a desire for years to work continuously with Russell ever since his days as the frontman for The Freewheelers in the early 90s. Though Russell was reluctant to once again becoming musically active, he decided to turn is rampant emotions of sorrow into the form of song. With that, Russell and Johns began to record the beginnings of Repair at Johns’ Three Crows Studios. “I couldn’t refuse [recording] as I was close to the material and needed a perspective like [Johns’]” The result of endless hours of recording was Repair, Russell’s fourth album and his best one yet. To Russell, it was more than just another album. It was symbolic of moving on while continuing to pursue personal hobbies, with Russell’s being his talented and skillful songwriting.
Unlike his previous releases, Repair is an album focused purely on alternative rock, even bordering distinctively on power-pop. This turns out to be a remarkable transition considering the stylistic approaches of Russell’s previous releases. His solo debut came in 1997 with the acoustic blues album, Lowdown World. Interestingly enough, he followed it up with an instrumental funk album in 1999, titled Down At Kit’s, which received outstanding reviews. His cover of Booker T. & the MGs’ “Chicken Pox” on Down At Kit’s is notably exceptional. His third album, Spare Change, was an album that consisted of soft vocals and acoustic guitars, slightly reminiscent of early Elliott Smith. It is easiest to describe his latest effort, Repair, as a collection of melodic pop songs that are shrouded with a variety of striking hooks. It is certainly his most accessible album yet, also being his catchiest and most enjoyable. While hardly as ambitious as the others, it appears that Russell has finally found a style that fits his instrumental and vocal approach very appropriately. From thick blues and acoustic ballads to soulful funk and power-pop, Russell’s variety has helped establish himself as one of the most underrated Californian songwriters of this era. Repair is a very commendable effort, continuing his consistency as a very talented songwriter. The album’s opening track, “Rise & Shine”, is rather typical state of affairs, with a traditional format and structure. However, it’s one of the catchiest songs of his career. Even if the melody is upbeat in nature, a closer listen to the lyrics reveal Russell’s personal emotions at the time of the recording, primarily being of his divorce. “Good morning sunshine, here I come to watch the rising of the undead,” is very accurate in relaying Russell’s developed belief that moving on past a wrecked relationship is best for all individuals involved. The line also is representative of his own career, with Repair being his first album in six years after “rising” from the dead and returning from the ashes of despair. “Everybody Falls” is more eloquent than its predecessor, beginning with a pair of attenuated synth strings that rings throughout the entire song, reminding me a bit of Billy Corgan’s more poignant attempts. Through smart chord changes, Russell establishes himself as a witty and capable songwriter. Russell’s vocals are hardly distinguishable, though that may be in credit to his wide range of influences. One can easily compare his vocals to the likes of a Joe Cocker or Kurt Cobain depending on the song, though “My Own Blood” reminds me personally of Spoon and Britt Daniel. Perhaps it’s the droning keys, the sharp guitar, or the mere scratchy vocals of Russell, but several aspects of “My Own Blood” reminds me of Spoon’s “I Summon You” to a reasonable extent. Comparisons aside, Russell’s newest release is a very enjoyable experience. Though it is a break from his more ambitious expenditures, Repair showcases Russell at his most natural and straightforward, resulting in songs that are both catchy and highly memorable.
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![\"Luther](\"http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4566207757_98c9a2b579_m.jpg\")
I’m dubious anytime an artist pimps their new release as sounding like Big Star’s Third/Sister Lovers or the Bryd’s Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Comparing yourself to such firmly-entrenched classics makes listening to the actual song rather underwhelming when it’s not “Kangaroo” or “You’re Still on My Mind.” But in the case of Los Angeles-based songwriter Luther Russell, those classics aren’t too far of base when talking about his new 10-inch record—which he is releasing tonight at Dante’s. Russell has been around a while, releasing albums since 1991 and living in Portland until the early aughts. The best of the bunch might be “Motorbike,” which currently has a video in the works by underground filmmaker Cam Archer, a Gus Van Sant buddy who has helmed clips for Xiu Xiu and Six Organs of Admittance.![\"Reviews\"](\"http://new.assets.thequietus.com/text/small_header/Reviews.jpg\")
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You may not have heard of Luther Russell, but he’s got plenty of history. Now 39, he signed to Geffen with his band The Freewheelers when barely out of his teens; their debut album had the misfortune to be released on the same day the label put out Nevermind. Growing up in the Californian artist’s colony of Carmel, hanging out with the children of sometime mayor Clint Eastwood, he’d formed his first band, The Bootheels, alongside one Jakob Dylan. If he remained undaunted by such celebrity scions, it was maybe because Luther’s own family history included the likes of grandfather Bob Russell, a legendary lyricist and songwriter who collaborated with Quincy Jones and Duke Ellington, and whose final composition was the Hollies’ weddings-and-wakes howlalong standard, ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.’![\"\"](\"http://www.hyperbolium.com/wp261/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/LutherRussell_MotorbikeEP-150x99.jpg\" "\\"LutherRussell_MotorbikeEP\\"")
![\"Cover](\"http://myowncommotion.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/repair.jpg\" "\\"Cover")
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