The first time we reviewed Simply Luke Leigfield on Punktastic, we commented on how the style of music he plays wasn’t really suited to this site. However, it seems that the newly formed Broken Hearts/Broken Bones Records disagrees. With the arrival of Luke’s second demo, ‘Simple songs for complex minds’ a couple of months ago, we thought we’d take another look.
So, what’s the view second time around? Well, Luke is a singer/songwriter in the mould of Ben Folds (who is an obvious influence). This is still a world away from what Punktastic normally covers though – think piano indie/pop and you’ll be on the right track. Whilst Luke is undoubtedly an accomplished pianist, and a decent songwriter, his vocals are just not up to standard. There are too many occasions on this nine track demo when his voice really struggles, particularly when trying to force notes outside his range. This is regretful on the likes of ‘Two hours before it’s over’ when decent songwriting is undermined. A one man acts needs to be equally proficient with voice and instrument but that is not the case here. It’s a shame as at times Luke shows signs of genuine promise. When his vocals are used effectively, like on ‘A naivety you’ll never understand’ and ‘Not til it’s ready’, he does look a decent prospect – as long as he lays off the poor cover songs. (Never, ever, attempt to cover ‘Time of Your Life!)
Simply Luke Leighfield will never be fully embraced by the punk community, his music is too far removed. However, if he is to reach his musical potential, and a fanbase in the indie/pop scene, he needs to really work on his vocals, as this hinders what he is trying to achieve As it is ‘Simple songs for complex minds’ is neither punk nor fantastic – it’s simply average.
www.myspace.com/simplylukeleighfield
Mark