Is Local H's Lucas pulling a Tom Jones?
Lake County native Scott Lucas wants to make something clear: His band Local H is not pulling a Tom Jones.
Jones, the swaggering crooner known for “What's New, Pussycat?” and other campy classics, recently released an album of somber gospel and blues covers meant to show him in a new light.
“This is nothing like that,” Lucas said of “Local H's Awesome Mix Tape #1,” a new EP of covers from the acclaimed Chicago hard-rock band. “That's one reason why we just did an EP it kind of undercuts the legitimacy of it. We love all the songs on there, but putting it out was just about having fun. There's no statement behind it.”
The EP, which includes versions of songs by the Jesus Lizard, Pink Floyd and Concrete Blonde, is just one of two records Lucas released in October. The other, titled “The Absolute Beginners EP,” comes from his new solo project, Scott Lucas and the Married Men.
Lucas will be on the road in the coming weeks with both bands.
“It's nice having these two bands to work with,” Lucas said. “I love Local H, and I've never felt hemmed in or anything by that band. But doing the Married Men stuff gives me a chance to do different kinds of things.”
Local H burst out of Zion-Benton Township High School in the mid-1990s and immediately drew acclaim for its melodic hard rock and Lucas' incisive lyrics. The two-piece, which now consists of Lucas (who sings and plays guitar) and drummer Brian St. Clair, is working on a full-length follow-up to 2008's “12 Angry Months.”
Covers have always been a part of the band's live shows, and “Local H's Awesome Mix Tape #1” gives Lucas and St. Clair a chance to let loose on some of their favorites.
The eight-song record starts with a kinetic reading of “Wolf Like Me,” from indie band TV on the Radio. Other highlights include covers of “Puss” by the Jesus Lizard and a nice update of “Time” by Pink Floyd.
“Fans should look at this as the band's personal mix tape,” said Lucas, who made the EP available on limited-edition cassette as well as compact disc and digital download. (The record even begins with the electronic tones that used to play on old cassette-tape releases.) “I used to make mix tapes for myself all the time, and the process was pretty much the same here just find cool songs you love.”
The Married Men EP came about a little differently. The band recorded its first full-length record, 2009's “George Lassos the Moon,” just a short time after Lucas convened the group together. The Married Men then went on tour.
Lucas said the members didn't know each other very well while recording the album, or even when the tour began, and he thought it would be interesting to grab some studio time afterward to see how they'd grown as a unit.
So they entered the studio again and recorded covers of David Bowie's “Absolute Beginners” and the Local H song “Hey, Rita” (the latter is the best song on this four-song EP). The band also reworked two songs that had appeared on the debut record: “Crosshairs” and “Last One.”
“I noticed that songs we'd recorded earlier had taken on new life when we played them live,” Lucas said. “It seemed like a good idea to capture that change in the studio.”
Lucas formed the Married Men after writing some songs for a girlfriend. He realized, looking at them one day, that there was a record there.
“I also knew it didn't seem like a Local H release, so I brought some new people together,” he said. “It all happened quickly and organically; I didn't give it much thought.”
The Married Men can rock just as hard as Local H, but they have a folksier, more acoustic sound; violins, accordion and organ accent the music throughout.
Lucas said he's looking forward to playing live with both bands in the future, as well as working with both in the studio.
“New full-lengths from both bands are in the works, and I'm really excited,” he said. “While I usually know early on which band a song I'm writing will go to, I do like to throw some curveballs. I'm lucky to have two stellar bands to bounce songs off of.”
If you go
<p><b>Scott Lucas and the Married Men</b></p>
<p>When: 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11</p>
<p>Where: Otto's Nightclub, 118 E. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb</p>
<p>Tickets: Free; call (815) 758-2715 or visit ottosdekalb.com</p>
<p><b>Local H</b></p>
<p>When: 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 26</p>
<p>Where: Shark City, 2240 Bloomingdale Road, Glendale Heights</p>
<p>Tickets: $12; call (630) 893-9346 or visit sharkcity.biz</p>