Luke Tyler Shelton‘s debut EP, Blue Sky, is a folk country masterpiece, as Shelton successfully forges his place in the genre by maintaining balance between inspiration and innovation. Luke Tyler Shelton is based in Los Angeles and aims to inspire the same wonder he feels when listening to the music that inspires him. Shelton’s influences are obvious on the EP, but at the same time feel uniquely like Shelton himself, despite the similarities to artists like Neil Young and Don McLean.
Shelton’s ability to harness his influences into a work that is truly his, is because of his unique and rich vocals, and the superb band that is backing him throughout the EP. The EP starts with “Anna”, which is an acoustic track featuring finger picked guitars, which are airy and colorful. The 70’s influence is immediately apparent, and the chorus is an ear-worm for sure. The lyrics are melt in your mouth sweet, as Shelton sings, “Oh, Anna. My heart is high, in the wake of your tide.”
We see the talent of Shelton’s band immediately on “Ana” as the fiddle comes in and has it’s moment to shine and assist Shelton in expresses his deepened love. Because of the tightness of the song, it already feels like a well established classic—something your parents would play countless times on the way to school. Every aspect of this track is harmonious, from the vocals, guitar, fiddle, drums, and so on. Shelton’s voice cuts perfectly through the music to deliver an excellent and harmonious love song to our ears.
“Feeling Always Down” drops off from the high of “Ana” and slows us down to feel the sadness of the track. The electric guitar hums and rings subtly but vibrantly on this one, as it takes on an almost mourning tone. The guitar really gets a chance to shine mid song as the keys build to aid the guitar in singing out this sorrowful ballad. Where the lyrics repeat, the instrumentals most definitely don’t, as Shelton sings out “Feelings Always Down” and the band builds and builds til the very end of the track.
“Love On My Mind” is a classic 70’s folk country song. The song is upbeat and sweet, and the chorus uses layering to deliver the lyrics, “No one loves me like my lady, she’s my sweet one, she’s my baby”. The bass, electric guitar and acoustic guitar aid Shelton in singing mid-track as they shine and hum their rich tones. This album midway has proved itself to have an excellent blend of intricate instrumental melodies as well as rich and impressive vocal capabilities from Shelton.
“A Bus Ain’t A Home” uses a light and bouncy acoustic guitar and a flighty piano to emphasize the songs traveling themes. The electric guitar sings and cries, as a female backing vocal comes in and excellently blends with Shelton’s rich vocals. A twangy guitar bounces off the acoustic guitar, spotlighting both of their capabilities. Although Shelton is singing a traveling song, it’s subversive of the typical flighty and detached traveler as he expresses his excitement in seeing his lover again.
“Where The West Begins” is a light country track with inclusion of the harmonica! The firm drum beat makes it perfect for two stepping and dancing in a classic country joint. The bass and drums are the driving force of this track, as they aid Shelton’s lyrical delivery as well as the instrumental breaks. The harmonica is used almost to converse with Shelton as he sings lyrics about the unique experiences of being West.
“Hell Of A Ride” is a.steady rock country track with mid-tempo beat, almost like riding a horse. Shelton uses the steadiness of the song to profess his love towards his woman. The guitars are subtle but complimentary to Shelton’s voice. The piano comes in mid-track and provides a bright and open feeling to the song breaking up the steadiness. The bands builds at the end to give a firm and melodic ending to the track.
The EP’s title track, “Blue Sky” features darker guitar tones and finger picking guitars. It’s a classic folk country song as Shelton sings about missing his love, and dealing with loneliness. Subtle orchestral strings in the background give a deeper layer to the rich world that is created through the layering of the guitar strings. This track in particular is very reminiscent of Don McLean. As the song continues, the beat becomes firmer and steadier as the strings work together to give background to Shelton’s lyrics. His lyrics are earnest and hopeful, as he wishes to see the light shining through. It’s a hopeful note to end the EP off, and a really great combination of the aspects of the EP that Shelton and his band have excelled in.
Blue Sky was an amazing listening experience and it’s truly exciting to think about what the future holds for Luke Tyler Shelton. Shelton’s debut EP has the ability to capture both people that are unaware of classic folk and country anthems, as well as the people that grew up on them or experienced their release.The EP was instrumentally breathtaking and complex, Shelton’s vocals were both exquisite and raw, and his lyrics were universal and relatable to a variety of people.
