Lutalo – Once Now, Then Again

Review Score:

B+

The Unprecedented Times –

Feb 8 / 2023

Lutalo’s voice is what sets him apart from those in adjacent genres. Singing in a low register, the young Midwest native often writes gentle, spacey, acoustic tracks. Once Now, Then Again is the artist’s first EP. The six track project explores the various styles that Lutalo creates within, but I get the sense that there’s much more the artist is capable of.

I found Lutalo on one of the rare occasions when I let Spotify take the reigns and show me what the algorithm thinks I want to hear. To be fair, the algorithm works. A lot of what I hear is pleasing, light, and enough to satisfy. But less frequently is it memorable. Lutalo’s “For Now” stuck with me. The vocals were deep and rich and unique. And I kept coming back for more.

There is nothing particularly groundbreaking about what Lutalo does. But he fills his little singer-songwriter niche nicely. Over the course of the six songs, Lutalo projects a feeling of a sorrowful, tired longing. Songs like “Little Chance” emulate this best. Lutalo occasionally channels the energy of a modern day Nick Drake. If Lutalo’s voice was pitch shifted up a few times, “Darkeve” could have come straight from Drake’s mouth (the English one, NOT the Canadian one).

Once Now, Then Again is short and sweet. If this is Lutalo’s first attempt at a longer form collection of songs, then I eagerly await his next project.

Review Score: B+

Gubb wrote this review. You can’t get mad at Gubb.