Luka Bloom
Before Sleep Comes
Bar/None Records
By Greg Yost
 Luka Bloom has created
the quintessential soundtrack for the wee hours of the morning
with his latest release Before Sleep Comes. Though
Bloom earned a reputation in folk music circles with his trademark
acoustic ballads, this meditative new album finds the artist
exploring the sounds of near silence.
Bloom, a native of Newbridge in County Kildare, Ireland and
brother of famed folk singer Christy Moore, put together this
collection of songs after being treated for tendonitis. During
his treatments, Bloom musical ability was hindered, allowing
him to only pick his Spanish guitar softly. As the physical
therapy progressed and Bloom regained strength, he found that
he enjoyed the quiet style and stuck with it. The result is
a stunning and somber collection of original songs and traditional
folk ballads.
Reminiscent of Turf, Bloom's best album to date, Before
Sleep Comes takes the listener on a quiet journey into the
night with the reassuring tones of his acoustic guitar and his
subdued vocals. The production team of Mark Gavin and Brian
Masterson did a wonderful job of taking Bloom's guitar and voice
and making a full and warm sound.
The stark beauty of the traditional Irish folk song "My
Singing Bird" starts the album and sets the tone for the
rest of the songs. While all nine tracks on the album share
the same dreamy sound, Bloom has also done a masterful job of
conveying the images of relaxation and sleep on his original
compositions.
"Be Still Now" is an excellent example of Bloom's
descriptive powers with lines like:
I walked along the western shore one bright November day
I watched the heron watching me and thought I heard him say
Just be still now, wait a while and let life come to you
Just be still now, all your dreams are on the breezes passing
through.
Not only is the listener lulled into a dreamlike state by
the music, but the lyrics convey a scene that could be pulled
directly from the land of slumber.
I am always looking for an album to listen to as I drift off
to sleep and Luka Bloom has created a classic. This collection
puts the fabricated work of New Age artists like Enya and Yanni
with its honest and fresh approach. Before Sleep Comes
is a beautiful and haunting assemblage of adult lullabies that
will be cherished by both insomniacs and music lovers for a long
time.
www.lukabloom.com
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