Photo by Lobo Sucio Creative
Every month we turn the spotlight on a new release from a Texas artist with a series of weekly features that give you a sneak peek at the new music and some insight into the artist behind it. To see the full rundown for the KUTX Artist of the Month, click here.
Judging by his My KUTX song list, Walker Lukens takes a collage-like approach to his music. His 2013 album Devoted earned praise from us here at KUTX as well as national outlets like NPR for its variety. Burt Bacharach-esque piano pop rubbed shoulders with beat-heavy looping experiments, making for an engaging and off-the-wall listening experience. Even when Lukens dipped his toes into the kind of singer-songwriter territory that he often swore off in interviews, personality carried him through–“The Night I Was Kissed By Patti Smith” being a perfect example.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen him grow as a performer, too. His backing band, the Side Arms, are nimble enough to follow Lukens’ every swerve, grounding his genre exercises in a solid rhythmic foundation. Our first taste from the forthcoming Baked Goods–produced by Spoon’s Jim Eno–proves that Lukens is truthful when he asserts that he’s “trying to do something with R&B that won’t sound like a lost Stax track.” “Every Night” makes good on this promise, matching looped vocals to a funky groove. “Doo-wop/punk” might be closest approximation, but then again, it’s always been hard to pin down Walker Lukens. Watch a Studio 1A performance and download “Every Night” in the player below.
–Art Levy
