| reviews |
Rolling Stone, December 21, 1997
"Evangeline" Named One of the Best CD's of the Year
Good all year 'round: GARY LUCAS plays his own tunes and those of Richard Wagner, Sun Ra, Lalo Schifrin and Blind Blake on Evangeline (Paradigm, CD), an all-acoustic holiday from the guitarist's usual effects-pedal, genre-stew escapades. You've probably never heard "Wedding March" as a double-time campfire hop; you've almost certainly never heard "The Wall," a gorgeous weeper first cut by the Chinese singer Bai Kwong in the 1940s and excavated by Lucas with stately anguish.
—David Fricke
Billboard Magazine, July 1997
Lead review in 'Pop' section
*Gary Lucas
Evangeline
Former Captain Beefheart guitar phenom and Jeff Buckley collaborator Gary
Lucas turns in an album of typically jaw-dropping fretwork, although this
time it's all acoustic. The range of material is nearly as amazing as the
man's instrumental facility, with Lucas pulling off Wagner transcriptions,
Chinese pop tearjerkers, soundtrack abstractions, and bluesy improvs with
equal aplomb. The few vocal numbers are a distraction, but program the
instrumentals in a row and it's pure pleasure. Lucas' electric side is
even finer (see "Skeleton at the Feast" on Enemy), so here's to a label
releasing his next electric album soon.
Guitar Player Magazine, April 1997
Gary Lucas—"Evangeline"
A veteran of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band, Gods & Monsters and New York's
downtown avant-garde, the eclectic Lucas is also a considerable back-porch
acoustic finger-picker. His edgy originals are driven by the rhythm of
emotions rather than metronome perfectionism, and his short-of-breath
vocals have an appealing down-and-out vibe. Gary's resophonic and wood-body
playing ranges from the sublime to the unabashedly lunatic, as on "Ah Feel
Like Ah Syd." Other tunes recast a half-century-old Chinese hit, a Wagner
wedding march, Sun Ra's "Interstellar Low Ways," Blind Blake's "Police Dog
Blues" and Lalo Schifrin's "Cool Hand Luke."
Zensor (Manteuffelstrasse 40, 10997 Berlin, Germany). —JO
Stereoplay (Germany), April 1997
Gary Lucas—"Evangeline"
by Hans-Friedrich Bottcher
An exciting whirl between country and blues, "The Animal Flesh Comes Creeping Back" opens this brightly colored dispatch from this New York acoustic guitarist. Nothing is so holy that it can't be run through his guitar treatment. And so Chinese pop and film music go side by side with the Tannhauser Overture. And if Lucas has even acknowledged his affinity for Leo Kottke, he later mesmerizes us with visions in the style of Fred Frith and Henry Kaiser: a string magician of all styles.
Music: 8-9, Songs: 6, Recording: 8
Mojo Magazine (UK), March 1997
Gary Lucas—"Evangeline"
by Mike Barnes
Fourth solo album by the US guitar virtuoso and songwriter who has worked
with Captain Beefheart, Jeff Buckley, Joan Osborne, Lou Reed and Kevin
Coyne.
Gary Lucas is understandably proud of his spell with Captain Beefheart's
Magic Band, which ended in '82. But since then he's taken himself and his
guitar into a wholly individual territory. As well as fronting his own
band, Gods and Monsters, he has collaborated with Joan Osborne, co-writing
the recently Grammy-nominated "Spider Web." On "Evangeline" he's strictly
solo and at his best.
The album ranges from knuckle-busting bluegrass mutations to finely crafted
songs, '30s Chinese movie music to a Sun Ra tribute. And it's all
acoustic, with just occasional sonic enhancement, as on the spectacular
slide guitar piece Ah Feel Like Ah Syd. Eclectic it most definitely is,
but Lucas stamps his personality firmly on the material and his playing is
stunning throughout.
The Trouser Press Guide to 90s Rock, March 1997
GARY LUCAS
Skeleton at the Feast (Enemy) 1992
Gods and Monsters (Enemy) 1992
Bad Boys of the Arctic (Enemy) 1994
KILLER SHREWS
The Killer Shrews (Enemy) 1993
Gary Lucas has toured Europe with Leonard Bernstein playing his Mass and
was a member of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band in its final recording
lineup (on "Ice Cream for Crow," after a cameo on the previous "Doc at the
Radar Station"). He has produced albums for eclecticist Peter Gordon and
jazz saxist Tim Berne and is a mainstay of Manhattan's downtown avant-rock
scene. He also joined Joan Osborne on her "Relish" album and co-wrote songs
that appeared on Jeff Buckley's "Grace." Most of which efforts manifest the
salient fact here: he's one mutha of a guitarist.
What makes Lucas so terrific is not just his technique, of which he has
loads, but also his imagination, his openness to different musical forms
(and ability to meld them) and his sense of humor. (In the notes to
"Skeleton at the Feast," Lucas calls Wyndham Lewis' witticism that
"laughter is the mind sneezing" a good description of his music.) Imagine a
combination of John Fahey, Jeff Beck, Robert Johnson, Jimi Hendrix and
James Williamson—sounds potentially disgusting, actually, but it's as if
Lucas has somehow gleaned all their best bits in simpatico fashion.
"Skeleton at the Feast" is Lucas live in a solo mode: on electric, National
Steel and twelve-string, both unadulterated and channeled through a maze of
effects boxes, playing mostly his own blues-based ("Robert's Johnson")
compositions, but also a medley of "Little Drummer Boy" and "Are You
Experienced?" and "Hitchcocked," which interprets/interpolates Bernard
Herrmann's themes from "Vertigo" and "Psycho." The last half-hour of the
album is a live recording of a superbly evocative score for the 1921 German
silent film "The Golem," which he composed with Walter Horn, who plays
keyboards.
"Gods and Monsters" is the name of Lucas' second album as well as his
ever-changing band. That widely varying fluidity is the source of its—and
"Bad Boys of the Arctic"'s—strengths (when he is enhanced by his
collaborators) and weaknesses (when their presence dominates or seems
forced). "Gods and Monsters" features ex-Woodentops leader Rolo McGinty as
well as cameos by Mekon Jon Langford, ex-Pere Ubu bassist Tony Maimone and
Tackhead drummer Keith LeBlanc. It may be the best introduction to Lucas
because it's the most eclectic: some acoustic material, a clutch of tracks
rooted in (but looking past) folk-blues, a flirtation with rap and splendid
interpretations of Pink Floyd's "Astronomy Domine" and, linked, Miles
Davis' "Jack Johnson" and Suicide's "Ghostrider."
"Bad Boys of the Arctic" is more of a Gods and Monsters band record
(there's even a live track from one of their gigs), but the cast of
contributors is as extensive as before. Singing (which Lucas does on four
tracks) is not his, er, strong suit, but he gets welcome lead vocals from
Dina Emerson (bohemian siren) and Sonya Cohen (wistful young thing) on five
tracks. Again, his exuberance carries the day; covers this time are radical
reworkings of the late avant-cellist/vocalist Arthur Russell's "Let's Go
Swimming" and Percy Grainger's "Children's March."
The Killer Shrews is his collaboration with Langford and Maimone. Much
rockier than any of Lucas' albums, more esoteric than the Mekons and with
greater funkified rhythmic drive than either, it's a pleasant surprise for
this kind of super-session. The verbiage ranges from smart ("Handfull of
Gimme (And a Mouth Fulla Much Obliged)") to just plain silly ("Bring Me the
Fat in California"), but the riffs (even—gasp!—tunes) are generally
catchy, and there's gobs of enjoyably indulgent show-off guitaring by
Lucas. The rip-roaring take on "The Brain From the Planet Eros" is a step
up from the lo-fi version on "Gods and Monsters." The vocalizing, mostly
Langford's, is homely but tolerable; Barbara Manning guest sings on two
tracks. [jg]
Washington Jewish Week, February 1997
Golem fever strikes District
1920s silent classic opens with new score
by Aviva Kempner, Special to WJW
As a youngster, Gary Lucas was intrigued with the Golem legend and loved
reading monster magazines. When the musician was asked to develop an
original score for an interdisciplinary subject in 1989, he immediately
thought of composing music for the 1920 classic silent film, "The Golem."
Director Paul Wegener's movie depicts how Rabbi Loew of Prague created a
clay creature to help Jews in the 16th century ghetto defend themselves
against a pogrom. This monster movie predated the American film,
"Frankenstein." The melodrama also contains a subplot of
intermarriage—the rabbi's daughter is romanced by a Christian man.
Jazz-rock guitarist Lucas, 44, will premiere his composition during two
separate screenings of "The Golem" on Saturday, March 1 at 7 and 9:30pm at
the District of Columbia Jewish Community Center. He will introduce both
programs.
The talented musician says that he has been "interested in Jewish myths and
legends. In my music there is a fascination with ghostly images. In my
other works, I pay attention to otherworldly sounds. I like the
supernatural atmosphere."
His latest release is entitled "Gods and Monsters" [sic—it's really
"Evangeline"]. He has worked with Leonard Bernstein, Dr. John, Lou Reed
and Allen Ginsberg.
Lucas grew up in Syracuse, N.Y., and became a bar mitzvah in a Reform
congregation. However, he feels his roots are in Eastern Europe,
especially in Prague. His great-grandfather changed the family's last name
from Lichtenstein and his father's family originally came from Bohemia in
Czechoslovakia.
The musician performs often in Eastern Europe, appearing on television.
When Lucas mentions his original last name, his is told "you must be a blue
blood." The other side of the family comes from Poland.
Lucas notes that the rabbi in "The Golem" is "based on actual historical
fact. I have visited the rabbi's grave in the old Jewish quarter." Lucas
uses his rich imagination to expain how these ancient grave sites "look
like twisted teeth in the giant's mouth."
Rabbi Judah Loew "inherited" the Golem legend, already well-established in
Jewish folklore, from earlier tales about Rabbi Elijah of Chelm, according
to the Encyclopedia Judaica.
Commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music to do the score, Lucas
remembers his excitement over screening the film at the Museum for Modern
Art. "I flipped out [over] how superb the film is. My music could
dovetail beautifully and complement the film. The movie screamed for the
score."
Lucas has also performed his score at the Knitting Factory in New York.
Lucas said there was an original score for "The Golem" but it was lost. In
his library research Lucas found a review of the score, which, during the
era of silent films, was performed by an orchestra.
"My score draws on the past," he said. "It has Jewish melodies along with
some ironic quotes from other classical music."
Lucas thinks he knows why "The Golem" is a movie that works today. "The
subject matter is timely. Even though Jews have made strides, they still
are being threatened. This movie talks about how a rabbi creates a Golem
to protect Jews under threat of a pogrom in the 16th century."
This movie is a tour de force with stunning set designs. A whole village
and town was built for the film. There is a cast of hundreds who were
marshaled on a soundstage in Germany.
Golem fever is hitting popular culture. A recent children's book award
went to a book based on the Golem story. The popular television show "The
X-Files" aired an episode based on a Golem legend (WJW, Feb. 20). "I hope
Golem mania sweeps the world," Lucas joked.
Lucas asserts he "feels comfortable with my heritage and finding out more
about my roots in Eastern Europe. I am drawn to the story of 'The Golem'
because it shows Jews as heroes and Jews as a master of their destiny."
Toronto Now Magazine, January 1997
Gary Lucas—"Evangeline"
Rating: NNNN (out of 5 N's)
by Tim Perlich
Guitar maestro Gary Lucas may be best known for his work with Captain Beefheart, Jeff Buckley, Joan Osborne and Jon Langford, but it's when he's alone with his Fender Stratocaster, National steel or 1946 Gibson J-45 acoustic that the breadth of his artistry is truly revealed.
Where Lucas fundamentally departs from his dour, string-bending soloist contemporaries—though, admittedly, his stylistic melding of bluegrass, pre-war blues, klezmer, flamenco, film scores and British psychedelic whimsy puts him in a dimension all his own—is that his whole approach is geared to stirring souls rather than the technical refinement with which it's accomplished. He also has a sense of humor.
On "Evangeline," recorded live at various intimate venues between New York and Prague, Lucas lurches Shanghai pop hits from the 40s, Blind Blake blues grinds and Lalo Schifrin's title theme from Cool Hand Luke with the very same maniacal intensity that makes the Wedding March sound like he wrote it. A class act.