Album Review: Luca Brasi - 'By A Thread'

Tassie slickers Luca Brasi have, in the past, demonstrated an impressive ability to deliver rock solid music that is Australian through and through. With By A Thread, however, they have gone the extra mile and mastered the formula required to write a exceedingly solid punk record, that is appealing to audiences already loving their scratchy tunes and grumbling riffs, and to international listeners just discovering their unique sound.

On By A Thread, Luca Brasi have approached the sound of their music with a warm, comforting sensibility, that is immediately endearing to listen to. The softer riffs, cleaner vocals and lighter percussion on tracks like ‘KDR’ and the acoustic number ‘Western Junction’ mean than overall, the sound of this record is less abrasive this time around, and more, dare we say it, optimistic.

Once again, on tracks like ‘Get Sad, See Mates’ the guitar melodies are incessantly stunning, with progressions that are twinkly and calculated. ‘Bethos’ suggests for a brief moment, with the lyrics ‘just between you and I, I wanna build something tonight,’ that By A Thread might just be a little romantic and sentimental, but the vocals, which remain brash, and that signature rambunctious punk sound keep it from being so.

If anything though, Luca Brasi may be more open to hope on this record, and the lyrics in tracks like ‘Waves’ and ‘Western Junction’ suggest that the band are trying to find the sliver of positive in between all the negative. The subtle hooks and addictive melodies capture the listeners attention on ‘Death Rattle’ and the nostalgic LP breadwinner ‘Here’s Looking At You Kid Rock,’ it’s possible also that they’re looking for a wider audience, or at least to create a mean mosh at shows.

Like always, Luca Brasi still tend toward a sense of angst and unrest, even if it is on this record less apparent than before. ‘Echoes’ seems to revert back to this briefly, with its schizophrenic introduction and the constant offsetting of the clean vocals with intermittent shouts.

Luca Brasi exemplifies exactly what punk should be – a community. Their music evokes a clear sense of understanding and everything from the lyrics to the atmosphere of this record is relatable. On top of touring constantly and putting on shows that are explosive, it’s abundantly clear that Luca Brasi know exactly what they’re doing. To the relief of everyone who has ever been a fan of decent Aussie punk, the band aren’t quitting any time soon.

1. KDR

2. Benthos

3. Get Sad, See Mates

4. Death Rattle

5. One Set Of Rules

6. Here's Looking At You Kid Rock

7. Borders and Statelines

8. Echoes

9.  Western Junction

10. Waves

11. Two Snakes