Luke Doucet

The Hogtown outlaw and artistic crafter of songs returns with a new sprawling selection of 13 tunes, including one with the longest song title to ever grace a CD ("If I drop names of exotic towns that you’ll never see, in the songs that I write, it’s that that’s all I have when I miss my girl & you’re taking yours home tonight”). Not only is Broken a sprawling oeuvre in terms of the songs and their lush arrangements, it was also an adventure recording the disc. Recording sessions took place in a dozen different studios — from Toronto’s Woodshed to friends’ places across the country; yet, it’s still a cohesive collection. The surf-rock noir of "Emily, Please” — an urgent song that pleads for a lover not to leave — is one of the many highlights. Here, Doucet demands: "Emily please don’t send me packing/In this dilapidated state/I’m on the brink of being sober/This was to be my last drink.” Adding to the polished recording is the long list of guests that join Doucet for this musical ride. Bazil Donovan, Amos Garrett, Oh Susanna, and Six Shooter label-mate NQ Arbuckle are just a few of Doucet’s fellow outlaws that make Broken a tour de force. Great lyrics, great images, and great songwriting: that’s Luke Doucet in a nutshell, and that’s what makes Broken a disc that demands your attention.