Larry Ludwick - Down This Road

Hear The Track Here

Or Mr Compo as we call him in Soundclick's Critics Corner (Ed: they don't; it's all in Gilmore's mind). Not, as you might imagine, standing for compost but for competition! Yep Larry Ludwick, guiding light behind the very successful series of Critics Corner monthly competitions - and now with prizes!!! - is also (gasp!) a musician. Larry, like a lot of well known reviewers, is in danger of becoming more recognised for what he does than for what he does - if you know what I mean. S'all very well having everyone patting you on the back and saying what an upright chap you are, but does it transfer into recognition of your own work? Not a hope in hell there. Nope, ask any long time Soundclick activist and they will say the same. It makes me laugh when people say we only review to puff ourselves up.

When, in actual fact, we all prop each other up (albeit drunkenly).

Anyway, Down This Road shows Larry wrote a song about rocks. Not, the gunga-gunga variety or even the common or garden stone but rocks of a more abstract nature. The anchors of our lives. The rocks that hold us solid into the fabric of life. Your family, your friends, your loved ones. Lyrically, exactly what I would expect from a songwriter of Larry's nature, Down The Road is a tale of intense relationships and the ground we stand on. Musically, I got to say, it was a surprise and I had to go through the track a fair few times to pick the bones out of it.

As usual, Larry provides a lovely musical experience (it's a slow, almost orchestral piece in reality) although not without a quirk or two. For my part, I could hear all kinds of harmony vocals on this, and strongly urge Larry to explore that possibility. Although not, I hastily add, with me because I have the voice of a sick bullfrog. I think it would add extra colour and texture to a track that - when listened to for a while - starts to feel a bit basic. Loved the track though, the woodwind sounds especially are exactly the right touch, as are the light delays of what sounds like an accordion. All showing that here is a musician who takes great care and precision to make his music and nowhere is this more evident than with the voices during the break. Raised the hairs on the back of my neck.

Highly Recommended Alternative Indie.