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LUCE - Never Ending Songs like “Buy a Dog” and “Amsterdam” present nothing new, but they are so well crafted, performed and produced and are so unrepentantly catchy, it’s hard to resist their simple charm, which is all about melody and groove. Luce is a San Francisco adult-alternative band led by Tom Luce, who put out a song a few years back called “Good Day” that was as radio-ready and pop-fabulous as anything manufactured by any other band in Luce’s adult-pop universe (Train, Counting Crows, Maroon 5). That song got so much traction out in San Francisco (via station KFOG-FM) and enough exposure in TV (“The O.C.”) and film (“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”) that this independent band ended up selling about 30,000 copies of its self-titled debut with virtually no label help. Chalk it up to Luce, an ace songwriter whose easy-breeze voice at times bears a faint resemblance to Gerry Rafferty’s. (Come to think of it, a remake of “Stuck in the Middle” might fit right in here.) This follow-up picks up where “Luce” left off. It’s a batch of smart, melodic, groovy pop songs cast in all forms of guitars, a few horns and some nifty B3 riffs, all made for those who go to music for a voyage into the light, as opposed to deliverance from darkness. — Tim Finn ------------------------------------------ "A radio-ready jam band..." www.clevescene.com The Bay Area's Luce falls somewhere between a radio-ready jam band (think Dave Matthews) and teen-friendly pop mood-setter (its songs have shown up on TV shows and movies like The OC and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days). Never Ending, Luce's latest album, features appearances by members of Counting Crows and Train, fellow Bay bands that know a thing or two about bridging the broad gulf between sing-along pop and mopey rock. Luce is at Wilbert's (812 Huron Road) at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10, available by calling 216-902-4663. ------------------------------------------ Nashville Scene -- Our Critics Picks September 15, 2005 This Northern California band’s second album sports a detailed, biology-class drawing of the human heart, an appropriate image for bandleader Tom Luce’s up-close examination of a relationship from its first joyous bursts to the usual emotional chasms. With a rhythm section that includes former members of Counting Crows and Train, Luce focus on melodic, mid-tempo rock with a rapturous bent that depends on soul-rich keyboards and trumpet as much as on guitars. This is indie rock that’s polished enough for the radio (they’re getting airplay here on WRLT) and smart enough to pull in a bookish crowd that prefers to sway rather than stomp. Sept. 18 at 3rd & Lindsley —MICHAEL McCALL ------------------------------------------
West Coast Band Emerges From the Underground “It’s quite gratifying for people to respond to your music when you’re not on a huge label or have a big public relations firm backing you,” Luce said. “When you consider just how many bands there are out there at any given time, it shows you that there’s a hunger out there for something that’s different and fresh. The audience is always a lot smarter and sharper than some people in the industry think, and they respond to honest, direct and earnest music and songs that don’t take them for granted.” Luce has certainly not delivered the prototype rock statement with Never Ending. In some ways it could be viewed as a “concept” release, as the various songs are all statements about love, relationships and the problems that inevitably stem from misunderstandings, gender differences, assumptions and complications. Co-producer Adam Rossi adds vibrant keyboard contributions and also did
background vocals, joined by former Counting Crows drummer Steve Bowman, bassist Larry Riggs and guitarist Dylan Brock. ------------------------------------------ (2005 Independent release -- www.feelinganxious.com)
By Bill Rickman
It is safe to say that the sophomore release from San Francisco Bay area’s LUCE does not fall into the feared category of sophomore slump. Two years in the making, “Never Ending” shows that time produces quality.
In this era of sensory over-assault, it is rare when things are kept simple and even rarer when these simple things remain interesting enough to keep the listener’s ear. LUCE manages to walk the line between the singer/songwriter genre and catchy guitar rock, with the outcome resulting in a well-presented, upbeat album. It’s an album that’s easy to listen to and easy to get sucked into listening to again and again.
However, the songs aren’t necessarily simple—with a balanced mix of vocals, guitar, brass, keyboards/sampling, percussion, and bass—but they are about the simple things in life. “Never Ending” runs through an array of everyday experiences: pretty girls, foreign language barriers, riding in cars, a waitress at Denny’s, buying a dog, infatuation—things that are familiar relatable. But LUCE manages to avoid clogging the story with hokey metaphors or unnecessary drama.
There is no reason that LUCE shouldn’t be getting plenty of radio airplay across the country, other than the fact that their efforts may very well be too intelligent and well-constructed to fit in with the junk circulating on most stations’ rotations as of late.
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Luce -- "Never Ending" 2005 Luce Records/Joe’s Music -------------------------
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