Ted Lucas – S/T

I think this one cropped up a few years back on the ol’ Blogspot, back when this was reissued on CD by Yoga Records. A fresh reissue brings a fresh re-evaluation, as Third Man gives the album the full treatment, including an LP reissue and a few bonus tracks. No real shocker that it’s Third Man at the helm, given that Lucas is a longtime Detroit folk legend. This album has been a staple in collector crates for some time now, bolstered by Lucas’ easy amble and stellar songwriting that pair with a more exploratory second side. The album embodies ‘60s traditions of private press troubadours, and, unfortunately it also carries the kind of tale of disappointment and disillusion that often accompanied the genre as well. During his life, Lucas never achieved the notoriety that he sought and deserved. The album’s appeal seemed at a low point during its release, and much of the original run remained unsold up through his death in the ‘90s.

That fortune would turn, with quite a few more heads getting turned onto the record with the Yoga reissue. Draped in a period-appropriate cover from Mouse Miller, the record draws in the kind of curious listeners who trawl through psychedelic cast-offs. The first side is stacked with lonesome, winding folk that’s made for shades-drawn days, following the smoke curls through the afternoon haze. The flip indulges the deeper meditation of listeners looking to Bull and Basho, deep-tissue ragas and blues that speak to Lucas’ string studies with Ravi Shankar and Harihar Rao. If you missed out on it, there was a great tribute to Ted that Jeffrey Silverstein and Perpetual Doom put together in 2021. All attention on Lucas is deserved, and if this one has eluded your gaze through previous reissues, now’s a great time to dip in. The Third Man edition comes with four bonus tracks on the digital, expanding on the original and giving a gloss-up even to those who might already have the Yoga version or the original OM press.

Support the artist. Buy it HERE.