The latest release from Luke Aaron Clark is the worldwide re-release of his album/EP “Paper Tongue”. I haven’t had the chance to listen to this record the first time (and most of the world hasn’t really as it was a limited region release) but now I came to discover how this is such a beautiful EP, and let me tell you why.
The first track “Oh Isn’t Life Pretty” reminded me so much of one of my all-time favorite artists, Sting. The arrangement revolves around a fingerstyle guitar and a cool slow-tempo drum machine. The vocals are breathy, and airy, and carry a level of delicacy and passion similar to nothing I’ve ever heard before. The second track, “Just OK” is when The Beatles influence kicks in…but doesn’t stay long though. The first half of the song has more acoustic-sounding drums than the previous track and a lead melody on the piano, meanwhile, the second half shows the drums going heavier and some nice strings that accentuate the emotional impact of the track.
The third track, “You“, brings back the clean acoustic guitars with their angelic tone and equally angelic vocals to match them. The song has some strumming on the guitars and some vocal acrobatics that make it stand out among the rest of the tracks…at least for me, making it my favorite track on the EP. “Peace In Our Lives” is the song where Luke decides to go full angel on us. The track leans more towards some Americana and country vibes rather than the folky sound of the previous tracks, and the vocals are super delicate to fit the mood. There’s a surprise in the transition before the last chorus and the ending though, and I won’t spoil it for you. The fifth and final track, “Paper Story” serves as a wonderful closer to a wonderful EP with varied (yet connected) ideas. The track feels like a culmination of all the amazing elements and ideas that came in the tracks before it, and I’m all here for it. This is the song that will cement in your head that Luke Aaron Clark is one of the best vocalists of our time, not because it has something out-of-ordinary but quite the contrary actually…it’s because of how much a song that feels like a regular and soft ballad is taken levels of greatness upwards by that tender and angelic voice. Go and buy/stream this album and enjoy the most angelic male vocals you’ll ever hear now and I promise you won’t regret it.