With the way it pushes the boundaries of country and punk, infusing the two seemingly disparate styles into alternative rock, Lucero is something of a musical anomaly. But the band makes its unusual group of influences work, due largely to lead singer Ben Nichols’ bourbon-soaked voice, which brings this unlikely pairing of genres together brilliantly. With their tenth release, Women and Work, Lucero dives right into its Memphis roots to demonstrate a side of the band not seen in their previous work.
The title says it all—this is an album about women, work, and everything in between. Though much of Lucero’s previous output deals with these subjects, Women and Work takes a completely different musical approach. The first half of the LP smoothly transports the listener from the smoke-filled dive bar of Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers to the music halls of Memphis and Nashville. From the very beginning, Lucero puts out a refreshing, honky-tonk Springsteen sound. With a wailing horn-line and driving keys from start to finish, the titular song, “Women and Work,” captures the essence of the first half of this album: “Now the women and the work and the booze in between got you pukin’ in the aisles smashin’ TVs/ Kid don’t let it get you down.” Lucero cuts through the sloppiness of day-to-day life, delivering a song that can get you through the week.
In the album’s latter half, Lucero goes back to the songwriting style of notable older tunes such as “Nights Like These.” Unfortunately, Lucero’s new direction in Women and Work loses its charm with songs like “Like Lightning”—the emotional lyrics on this track, as well as others on the album, are powerful and well-written enough to take center stage, but get drowned out amid the blur of horns and keys. Only when Lucero falls back on its signature songwriting does the LP shine. As Nichols laments on “Sometimes,” the feeling of estrangement draws listeners in to connect with the singer’s deepest emotions.
Though this alt-country band strikes a perfect balance between music and lyrics in some songs, the grittiness and heart-on-your-sleeve songwriting that make Lucero a gem within the country and punk circles too frequently gets put on the back burner. Lucero’s real talent still shines through in their artful play between clashing genres, even if Memphis-style honky-tonk may get listeners dancing.
Voice’s Choices: “Women and Work,” “Sometimes”
