Even for a quirky label like
Ghostly International, the eccentricities and sheer diversity of styles found on
Lucas, the second album from
Skeletons and the Kings of All Cities (FKA Skeletons & the Girl-Faced Boys), may seem out there. Centered around
Matt Mehlan, but featuring a cast of dozens, Lucas is the perfect contradiction. Within and between tracks, free jazz workouts mix with electronic elements mix with strings and horns mix with
well, lets just say Mehlan is a brilliant musical schizophrenic, never settling in to one idea too long but always anchoring each track with a melodic pop backdrop. With so many adequate, yet completely forgettable, albums out today, Lucas stands as a singular entry into this years releases, surpassing so many who write nine times the same song. Mehlan spoke to
Baeble about how to work well with others, weird music and why Mambo No. 5 has the potential to be a good song. (Were still not sold on that last one.) -
KEEP READING-
Jason Newman