I liked what I heard from Stephen Clair’s last record. I wrote about it here and still find his songs a pleasure to hear when they pop up on shuffle. The Stephen Clair I’m familiar with was stripped down NYC folk but there’s a new(ish) Stephen Clair in Town . A Stephen Clair who has absorbed the sounds and styles of Austin where he recorded his new record. The songs are now accented with pedal steel and violin but the lyrics remain insightful and adult (adult in a good way, not “adult” like in Adult Alternative).
The new record is called What Luck and to be on the safe side I’m writing about what I figure is the title track “Lucky As Can Be”. It the type of song I’m drawn to as it takes a look at life through the eyes of a struggling performer who hasn’t reached the top but is happy with his life. Someone who realizes his music is important but also someone who realizes that there’s more to life than trying to achieve some unattainable (and undesirable) amount of fame.
The NYC record release party is on May 22 at Banjo Jim’s but all you out-of-towners can celebrate on your own after you buy What Luck at CDBABY here.
