"I Want Your Blue Sky" by Lemon Boy
Review
"I Want Your Blue Sky" , the next single by Lemon Boy (Luke Bates) is not in fact released until 26th May, but already, thanks to some advance airplay, it is getting extremely positive reviews. Both Ming Nagel (ExileFM) and Toni Peach (HillzFM) had very complimentary things to say about it on playing the song (they each drew attention to its great beauty) and Ming's collaborator at both ExileFM and in Project Blackbird, Jon Read, compared his playing to Nick Drake: and I don't need to tell anyone reading this what high praise that is.
Although I've praised several of his previous releases, ("Square Times", "Flamingo", "Sea of Stars" and "In Absence", the second of which appears also on ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Four'), I find myself inclined to suggest that "I Want Your Blue Sky" may be Luke's best yet. If I have previously cited his superb use of space (it's certainly one of his trademarks), then the latest offering creates even more, indicating perhaps yet more confidence in this approach: you almost hold your breath at times wondering if the silence will end or what might replace it… if Luke is not a follower of Debussy's famous assertion that "music is the space between the notes" then he is certainly working along similar lines.
To separate the spaces, what one does get are exquisite & carefully selected delicate sounds: the guitar Jon likes so much, percussive ones & what sound like woodwind ones, plus of course a very plaintive, ethereal set of vocals (multi tracked it would seem at times), drifting in & out, above & around the other elements.
Lyrically, for the protagonist "…hope is visible but out of reach, but he eventually finds comfort in hearing his own voice.." and reflects a time Luke felt cut off from friends & family. I understand that this song is intended to lead us into a new album, which he feels is his "most mature so far" and I think both the increasing dare & panache of this truly individual style he is crafting plus the emotional depth of the sentiments it captures bear this out: and of course it's not just me. People who know & love their music & speak with a wide range of experience of making it, listening to it & broadcasting it are talking about Lemon Boy.
