Here Comes The Flood: Lukas Batteau

October 18, 2013

Lukas Batteau: Wasteland

Lukas Batteau is a craftsman, who pays attention to each detail of his songs. After releasing two EP's his first full-length Wasteland explores heartbreak, loss and death. So this is heavy-handed album? Not as such. Some songs are actullay pretty upbeat, which makes a interesting contrast with the serious lyrics - just check out the banjo in Dance For The Dead (the album has a bonus track with an even more prominent role for that underrated instrument).

Batteau is half Dutch and half American and the listener gets the best of both worlds. the European styled melody of The Storm truly shines by adding The Red Limo String Quartet, who keep on playing throughout the Reprise that serves as a coda. On the other hand he tips his hat at Nineties USA alternative college rock (Cannonball).

Wasteland is a self-released album. Buy it from his website.

Tracks:

Enchanted
Wateland
Cannonball
Line Of Fire
Dance For The Dead
Prelude (The Still)
The Storm
Reprise (The Wake)
Goodbye
Island Of Sorrow
Dance For The Dead (more banjo edit)

Live date:

10/25 Ekko, Utrecht, The Netherlands (CD release show)

» lukasbatteau.com

HCTF review of Lukas Batteau.

August 10, 2012

Lukas Batteau: Lukas Batteau

Lukas Batteau, a singer-songwriter of American/Dutch ancestry wasn't really happy with the sound of his self-titled EP recorded in 2011. He decided to repeat part of the recording process in his own living room in Utrecht, The Netherlands, laying down new vocal tracks and adding a second guitar.

All four songs are mellow with the occasional twist in the lyrics to keep it interesting. Batteau is a craftsman, but he plays it safe with his "never-mind-me" attitude. This is the kind of music that is playing softly in a hip frozen yoghurt bar where the clientele is far too busy checking out each others smartphones and sunglasses to pay much attention. And that's a shame because he can handle more demanding stuff like Beck's Loser quite well.