Luke Daniel
Austin, Texas, United States | Established. Jan 01, 1979 | INDIE
Music
Press
May 15th, 2023
The title of Texan Luke Daniels’ debut album is simple and to the point. With a core sound ranging from Southern Rock to what was once known as Cowpunk, he pours his heart and soul out on the nine-track record.
He’s out of the blocks with a full-throttle on the opener Lost In The Gap and only occasionally takes his foot off the gas. He does allow time for reflection on the acoustic slow burner, Dig In, and Saturday travels from mid-tempo to a rap-like vibe, but he’s at his best spitting fire on the toe-tapping barroom rocker Get My Shit Together and the funky Bad Gas Travels Fast. Dusty Rhodes is a tongue-in-cheek serenade to an imaginary suitor and he’s just about happy with his lot on Doing Pretty Good.
Produced by Derek Hames at his Edgewater Studio in Sugar Land, Texas, the former member of Three-Car Garage and Red Scare recreates a sound that crackles with energy and no doubt replicates what can be expected from Daniel in a live setting.
There is a lot of groove and understated humour on Daniel’s debut album. His lyrics fit the songs like a hand in a glove and without attempting to reinvent the wheel, he has delivered an impressive album of hard-edged heartland Americana. Go and see him live if he’s in your neck of the woods, I can only imagine that he puts on a more than lively show.
Review by Declan Culliton - Lonesome Highway
Rock ’n’ Roll Americana finds Luke Daniel stirring sounds roaming in his head into a somewhat ragged, no-nonsense, set of songs, mostly sung from a personal perspective. At the same time, it offers an unflinching look at the lives of ordinary folks who are doing their best simply to survive. In that regard, Daniel shares his own satisfaction — ‘I’m doing pretty food for poor white trash’ he insists on “Doing Pretty Good” before lamenting the fate of one “Poor Wanda” via a strident Rocker that doesn’t mince words when it comes to describing her hapless situation.
Luke Daniel’s eagerness to embrace his origins is consistently clear. He’s a forthright good ‘ole boy, and he embraces his identity through the rugged resolve found in the album’s emphatic opener “Lost in the Gap”, the steadfast suggestion of “Long Road”, the unapologetic would-be anthem “Get My Shit Together”, and the solid stomp that accompanies “Dusty Rhodes”. Nevertheless, not every offering finds Daniel seeming so tenacious. Closing track “Dig In” provides a pause for some wistful reflection. Accompanied only by solo acoustic guitar, he takes stock of his situation and reaffirms his intent to continue carrying on.
All in all, Rock ’n’ Roll Americana makes for a credible initial entry, one that underscores Luke Daniel’s country credence. He’s made his conviction clear. It now remains to be seen how he moves on from here. (By Lee Zimmerman) - The Alternate Root
Discography
Rock 'n' Roll Americana- September 2022
You Ain't Gettin Shit For Christmas- November 2022
Smoking Weed with Jesus- March 2024
Photos
Bio
Bob Seger meets Lynyrd Skynyrd and Tom Petty. Luke Daniel is making his own scene and crossing over several genres in the process. If you’re checking a box, you can check Americana, but if you’re adding songs to your playlist, there’s plenty of options to work with. Rock & Roll, Country, Blues, and Soul to name a few: you could put him in any of these categories. The only problem is, you can’t choose just one, it’s not possible. Luke’s catalogue of all original music showcases and eclectic mix of influences spanning decades of music consumption. The son of a grocery store manager and a preschool teacher, Luke grew up in small town Missouri. Like most artists, Luke developed a deep and abiding love of music at a very early age. “Music was always part of our lives growing up and my dad loved sharing his favorite music with me. We listened to a lot of (Otis) Redding, Isaac Hayes and B.B. King; but we also listened to Janice Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jethro Tull and Led Zeppelin.” Luke’s debut album, Rock n Roll Americana, is authentically original and refreshing. Produced by Derek Hames at Edgewater Music Group (The Teague Brothers, Statesboro Revue, Roxy Roca) the 9-track album was funded by a successful Indiegogo campaign. Rock ’n’ Roll Americana released worldwide with Edgewater Music Group and The Orchard in September 2022 and charted #65 on the Americana Music Association’s Albums Chart. New music is in the works with anticipated 2024 release dates. As a globally published artist with Universal Music, Luke’s music has been featured on TV and radio around the world. Highlights of those placements include The History Channel, Dancing with the Stars, Velocity Network, Esquire Network, Access Hollywood and the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Seattle Mariner’s live broadcast on Root Sports Northwest.
Writing regularly at the Austin BMI office, Luke is currently planning for his next full length release and his new single, Smoking Weed with Jesus, releases to radio and streaming platforms, in March of 2024!
Band Members
Links
