Young Man in a Far Away Town - Sammy Luka’s Sundown Band is ready and rockin’
Sammy Luka’s Sundown Band (formerly known as Sundown Ever Sundown) is back with a fantastic new record: Young Man In A Far Away Town.
The project of Muloobinba/Newcaste born musician Sam Ferfolja, Sammy Luka’s Sundown Band is not a single artist but a band.
That said band’s second full length LP - following 2022’s King of the Sunset - marks the culmination of a series of brilliant singles including Wedding Shoes and I Am Content Staring Out My Window.
This album continues Sam Ferfolja’s impressive beyond-his-years songwriting style. Balancing classic rock and folk instrumentation with reflective yet hilarious lyricism, Sam wears his influences on his sleeves while carving out a truly distinct voice.
@sammy_luka_sundown_band Young Man In A Far Away Town
Opening track Apartment Lights is an easy listen - a rockin’ good time. Contrasting a synthy intro with rocking guitars, its like the first breeze of summer after a long winter. Sam sings of exploring a new setting with a fresh attitude and a heart on his sleeve.
Fantastic single Wedding Shoes follows right after - an absolutely amazing song. A straight up great time, the lyrics speak on Sam’s fears of feeling like his friend’s are growing up around him while he’s still figuring his life out.
Sammy Luka’s distinctive musical pallete is possibly at its most present in Song About Artistry. Panned acoustic guitars, jangly chorus guitar, classic progressions, light percussion and a soft vocal. Sam is at his most meta on this song - singing about his chosen artform and creative process.
In Our House is a gentle ballad for rough and tumble share house life - the love and pride you feel for your home - while single I Am Content Staring Out My Window is a reflection on peace and solitude. Both tracks are minimal acoustic guitar led pieces with soft reverb drenched piano melodies supporting the finger-picked instrumentation. Lo-fi excellence.
Marking the half way point of the LP, The Sound of the City features possibly Sammy’s best vocal performance on the album. A gentle bluesy ballad over a simple but satisfying beat, the highlight is the wall of overdubbed vocals - all Sam of course - absolutely tremendous. But from out of nowhere comes an inspirating change of tempo with distorted guitars and tambourine. You can’t help but grin ear to ear with this song in your ears. This song must absolutely go crazy in the live set.
There is also potentially a reference to the riff from classic Sundown track Steel City Blues. I know I heard it in there…
Sammy gets dirty in rocker Kangaroo in a Body Bag. Sounding like an early King Gizzard track - complete with fuzzy guitars and heavily delayed vocals, the song is a joyous time despite the morbid title.
Piano led track Best Years is a real album cut. Lost love, lost contact. A semi doo-wop song, the song is an everchanging beast. “A Life without love is a life without bliss”.
Single Love Don’t Stop continues the themes of its predecessor with a somewhat more optimistic tone. “I believe in hope'“ sings Sammy.
Just Cos’ the Sun Shines is a warm reminder of life’s ups and downs - sounding like an unreleased Hunters and Collectors classic - with a fantastic chorus.
Closer Remember? is a perfect closer to an album of memories. Good, bad, up and down - it all forms who you go on to be, and that message is clear through the themes of not just this song but the whole record.
A truly impressive depth of growth and maturity is shown in this album. Sammy Luka’s Sundown Band really is a glowing ray of light and love, something that many of us are missing in our listening habits today.