Luka Bloom » Press Release

LUKA BLOOM - Dreams In America

Luka Bloom is back with a stunning new album DREAMS IN AMERICA.

Dreams In America An Internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter, and recording artist; Luka Bloom has enjoyed twenty years of success worldwide. Since the release of one of the all time Irish classics 'Riverside' recorded in 1990, people from all corners of the globe have embraced the true beauty of this remarkable musician. He has a catalog of quality recordings that would make any budding songwriter aspire to. To celebrate these twenty years, Luka has carefully chosen and re-recorded some of his stunning repertoire. These songs represent a fascinating journey, from when he immigrated to America in the late eighties, to the present day.

Here's Luka himself on the new record: "I'm allergic to nostalgia. Long nights reminiscing about the good old days are a bit of a yawn to me. Much more excited by the good now days, the next song, the next gig, the seed of the next record.... And yet, perhaps it's ok to press the pause button for a moment, and reflect a tiny bit on experiences over a period of time. Not dwell too long; just feel it again, pay respect to the places and the people."

This is what DREAMS IN AMERICA is about, a raw, honest reflection on the songs of the last 20 years.

"Every gig is precious. Whether the Spa in Lisdoonvarna, Carre in Amsterdam, or the Melbourne Concert Hall, the privilege is the same, as is the commitment to the gig." - Luka Bloom

On his ability as a performer Luka Bloom has received phenomenal praise, which has resulted in sell-out shows worldwide. This is a testament to a real troubadour who has worked and developed over many years into a true master of live performance. The combination of his melodic thought provoking material, along with his incredible skill in reading and connecting with his audience makes this praise worthy.

"…someone whose quest is far from over, but whose comfort in his own skin bears testament to a road well travelled. And the music's not half-bad either. Magnificent."
SIOBHÁN LONG - THE IRISH TIMES

"Bloom never fails to deliver an entertaining show, and you are hereby advised to catch him at a town near you".
MIKE FARRAGHER - IRISH VOICE



Das neue Album DREAMS IN AMERICA
SKP 9094 SKIP/Soulfood - VÖ: 26.3.2010

Die Essenz seines bisherigen Schaffens

Dreams In America Der irische Singer/Songwriter Luka Bloom hat sich mit Alben wie "Riverside", "The Acoustic Motorbike", "Between The Mountain And The Moon" und zuletzt "Innocence" und "Eleven Songs" kontinuierlich eine große und treue Fangemeinde erspielt. Seine Karriere startete vor mehr als 20 Jahren, als er beschloss, sich von Kildare/Irland an die amerikanische Ostküste aufzumachen, um seine Songs dort zu präsentieren. "I was running out of the road on the island. And I felt something in the sound I was making, that drove me to believe …." Nach einer Reihe von erfolgreichen Konzerten in angesagten Clubs in Washington DC, Boston und New York bekam er einen Deal als erster irischer Künstler nach Van Morrison bei Warner Brothers … und öffnete damit die Märkte in seiner Heimat Europa. Er zog von Dublin nach New York und bereiste von dort die Welt. "Those days in New York changed everything. They opened the door to the world. It still amazes me."

Er erspielte sich einen Kult-Status unter Fans, die ihm zu Konzerten rund um die Welt folgten. Dabei klang seine Solo-Show wie eine ganze Band, "Stadium Rock for Bedrooms" wie ein deutsches Musikmagazin ihn beschrieb. "20 years later I decided to honour those times with a record. It is not a "Best Of", with tracks lifted from old records. I chose to revisit songs from the last ten records since, and bring them back to life with new versions. Sometimes it is a song, I don't like the original recorded version anymore; sometimes it is just a new feeling for a song. Sometimes it's the words, sometimes it's the rhythm, and sometimes it's just the sounds." Auf "Dreams In America" fasst er die Essenz dieser Jahre zusammen. "I had this dream and in New York it became a reality, so strong that 20 years later the fire still burns stronger than ever."

Mittlerweile ist er wieder in seiner Heimat Irland angekommen, dort wo die Wurzeln seiner Musik liegen. Die Tatsache, dass Luka Bloom viele seiner besten Songs hier endlich in den Solo-Versionen aufgenommen hat, die seine zahlreichen Fans in den Konzerten so schätzen gelernt haben, ist in anderem Sinne die Essenz seines Werkes. Und so hören wir gebannt, das weniger mehr sein kann, in Versionen von "The Acoustic Motorbike" (vom gleichnamigen Warner-Album), "Black Is The Colour" (im Original auf "Turf") oder "Love Is A Place I Dream Of" (in der Originalversion als Duett mit Sinead O'Connor auf "Between The Mountain And The Moon"). Mit dem Micheal O'Domhnaill gewidmeten LORD FRANKLIN* findet auch ein Konzertklassiker, den Luka Bloom nie auf CD aufgenommen hat, Eingang in die illustre Reihe von Songs.

Als Bonus-Tracks enthält das Album auch noch Live-Aufnahmen von "I Hear Her, Like Lorelei" (im Original vom großartigen "Eleven Songs") und "Love Is A Monsoon" aus der National Concert Hall in Dublin mit Mitgliedern des dort ansässigen Orchesters und "Sunny Sailor Boy" live 2009 aus Brüssel. Das Album wird auch in einer limitierten Edition als 180 g Vinyl-Version erscheinen.

*LORD FRANKLIN wurde erstmals im Mai 2009 in einer Setliste erwähnt.


© Rena Bergholz - Luka Bloom Page