Lucero featured on the recent Atticus Dragging the Lake compilation, which is where I suspect most UK listeners will have had their first taste of the band. Fronted by Ben Nicholls, the band go back to their Memphis roots with a reasonably laid-back album that buries itself in an alternative rock/country feel, complete with clever lyrics and a strong vocal slant – infact, if it wasn’t for the stellar vocal performance, this would be a little bland and boring.
Many of the songs are built around the same acoustic backing, which over the course of the album begins to get a little bit dull. However, on occasion the band really do hit all the right notes – all these moments are few and far between. ‘Bikeriders’ and the album’s title track are among the standouts, but on too many occasions the band are bland – making ‘Nobody’s darlings’ a record worth checking out once or twice, but probably nothing to get excited about in the long term.
Paul