After being impressed by Luke Daniel Peacock’s single “We’ve Come a Long Way, Darling,” I couldn’t wait to wrap my ears around his album. I was thrilled to find more of the husky vocals and first-class songwriting that delighted me on the lead track.
As I wasn’t aware of the first single “Dreambox,” I found it interesting that the most recent single and title track doesn’t make an appearance to the very end of this album. It meant that for most of the recording I was listening to music that for me felt brand new. Despite this, this collection of songs felt very familiar. Not in a “I’ve heard this all before” way, but in a comfortable, accessible way that’s so appealing. This is an artist who knows what he’s doing, and he does it so well that you’re instantly put at ease.
The opening track “Dreambox” grabbed me from the get go with its hooky guitar-driven melody and relatable lyrics. “Alphabet City” is a stand-out with its stirring instrumentation and gritty, yet hopeful, lyrics. The delicate instrumentation of “Trees” really let the message of this special song shine through. “My Shit” might not have the most eloquent of titles, but it’s a powerful number about loving through the hard times.
There are shades of Bruce Springsteen and Ryan Adams in this album, yet Luke Daniel Peacock’s own original voice rings out so strong. We’ve Come a Long Way, Darling is a remarkable album from one of Australia’s most promising new singer-songwriters.
We’ve Come a Long Way, Darling is available on CD, vinyl, and as a digital download today.