Review: Lukas Nelson – American Romance
Lukas Nelson – American Romance
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital / Label: 6 Ace Records
Release: 2025
Text: Bert van Kessel
Lukas Nelson is Willie’s boy and frontman of rootsrockers Promise Of The Real. They accompanied Neil Young on various tours. An overwhelming performance in Amsterdam in july 2019 proved this guy could rock.
But this is something completely different. It is his debut solo album, on the crossroads of singer/songwriter and country, a bit of Townes and a bit of Willie. Nelson sees himself first and foremost as a songwriter and he has done a fine job with these twelve tracks; he is also a convincing singer delivering his vocals with poignancy. He presents himself as an innovative guitar player, both on the acoustic and the electric guitar.
The pleasant songs thrive in a crisp production by Shooter Jennings, Waylon’s son. He is backed by an enthusiastic group of players, of which especially pedal steel player Russ Dahl and fiddler Eleanor Whitmore stand out. Bass player Corey McGormick is the only one he recruited from his of POTR buddies.
The opener Ain’t Done is a telling introduction to the rest of the album; its smoothly rocking Americana has a pleasant and easy-going feel. Nelson comes up with a surprising guitar solo. Next up is the beautiful, intimate, but not sentimental love song Pretty Much, in which the vocals are delivered with passion.
That passion is continued in prize number Make You Happy which features some stunning acoustic guitar play. The cheerful, up-tempo Outsmarted is characterised by some catchy interplay of steel and fiddle. In the slow and sad Disappearing Light additional vocals are contributed by Stephen Wilson Jr. and he does a fine job. The harmony vocals by Virginia songbird Sierra Ferrell in Friend In The End are delivered with passion and drive and combine beautifully with Nelson’s.
The catchy country rocker Born Runnin’ Outta Time will have Tom Petty smile approvingly up above. All God Did stands out because of its ferocious guitar solo. Montana is the captivating soundtrack to that state’s expansive, rippling fields. In it a mild shrillness seeps through, reminiscent of his father.
The closing track You Were It was the first song Lukas Nelson ever wrote in his early teens. An encouraging Kris Kistofferson liked what he heard and so did I.
With this convincing debut Lukas Nelson proves he is well able to carve out a place for himself as a singer/songwriter without the patronage of his father or Neil Young.
Tracks:
01. Ain’t Done
02. Pretty Much
03. Make You Happy
04. Outsmarted
05. Disappearing Light (feat. Stephen Wilson Jr.)
06. Born Runnin’ Outta Time
07. All God Did
08. Montana
09. Friend in the End (feat. Sierra Ferrell)
10. The Lie
11. American Romance
12. You Were It