Luke Morley – Walking On Water
(Left Hook Records / Townsend Music – 2025)
(Genre: Blues)
Most of you will be aware that Luke Morley has been the guitarist with Thunder since their debut ‘Back Street Symphony’. ‘Walking On Water’ is his 3rd solo release following his acclaimed ‘Songs From The Blue Room’ in 2023. That album set the bar very high, amazingly ‘Walking On Water’ eclipses that in outstanding fashion.
This record is a delight from start to finish with our guitarist excelling with his vocals, his playing via a set of songs that are perfectly crafted and realised. As soon as the first notes are played you are on a ‘Natural High’, (which just happens to be the title of opening number). The song itself is a mid-tempo stomper that has an immediacy that hooks you in.
The title track comes next, the opening chords sounding something like T.Rex & Marc Bolan would have done. The song then shifts direction and becomes a light blues infused number which just flows organically. It feels so natural, keeping you high. The breakdown after the chorus creates a 60’s vibe that John Travolta & Emma Thurman could have danced to in that famous scene from 'Pulp Fiction'.
By the end of ‘Breathe’ you know that you are listening to something special and magical, Morley bares his soul as he admits he can’t breathe without that special person in his life. The opening lyrics “if you’re leaving it’s all that I deserve – if you stay, I can’t promise you the earth”, sets the emotion of the song perfectly as does the feel of the solo.
A slight change of direction sees us visit the Blues of Texas complete with a mouth organ intro. Luke is a stranger in a small town, the locals stare at him the waitress has a gun. He feels isolated beneath the heat of the sun. The great storytelling makes you feel like you are there lamenting and lost with him. It’s a trucker’s tale of life on the road.
The album continues to unveil more, each song has a narrative of its own. I can’t do it justice with mere words; you need to listen yourselves. ‘Gun To Your Head’ reveals a Bob Dylan acoustic style song; change is gonna come, whether you like it or not. Don’t fear the future it is going come anyway.
An insistent riff sees us Rock out! on the punk infused ‘Snakeskin Parachute’ it is as infectious as hell; wooooooooooooooo! ‘Forever And Again’ is delightful, it hits me hard personally as it tells how we overcome adversity through resilience and love, once more the song conjures up images with intensity and feel, the guitar solo is stunning.
‘Bullets’ sees our man shooting from the hip, Luke Morley has had one plan for this album, that is to create something memorable, he has succeeded in superb fashion, the track is a brooding stomper. ’Don’t You Cry Now’ is simply beautiful, serene and delicate.
Now to the final track of this absolute masterpiece. I cannot praise this album enough. ‘In Your Light’ concludes things acoustically, with a gentle sojourn that is simply mesmerising and thought provoking. With Thunder on indefinite hold due to Danny Bowes suffering a stroke (I hope he is recovering well). Luke has made quite possibly one of the albums of not just this year, but any year.
The album artwork is stunning, the silver suit dazzling!
By Paul Mace