The songwriter and multi-instrumentalist behind Lucky Ghost honed his approach as singer and frontman for the bombastic NYC rock outfit Conquistador, followed by the do-it-yourself experimentation of his first solo project, Aaron Hill & The Crimson Guard (where he served as both Mr. Hill as well as the Guard). What emerged was a distinctive voice - synthesizing prog, the sparkling sadness of 80's pop, chugging guitar rock and the slippery craft and lyrical aplomb of British singer-songwriters.
Sex Griddle - the debut release on Lapdance Academy - delivers the most fully realized instance of this vision thus far, mixing feeling, fact, fiction and hooks in the service of everything from straight up cock rock to electronica-tinged ditties of self-realization and acceptance. Cold war anxiety, video game music, and the ever-elusive mysteries of human connection all come to bear on ten infectious tracks tinged with melancholy, like medicating the pain of apocalypse with Saturday morning cartoons.
Driving bass (Berkowitz's favorite instrument) escorts you from start to finish, and you might notice signposts of influence en route, synthesized and and strained through personal journeys, anxieties, and character studies. But above all, it's music that crackles and sticks, at once brand new and intensely familiar.
Further experimentation, live shows and expanded collaboration lay on the horizon for Lucky Ghost, as Berkowitz continues to play the mad scientist, catering to every whim of the gremlin in his head. Let's hope it keeps telling him to rock... and not to kill.
|
EXTERNAL LINKS
|
 |
FREE MP3 DOWNLOADS
|
