Ben Nichols-The Last Pale Light in the West
Liberty and Lament
January 20, 2009

With seemingly every band leader going solo, it came as no surprise that Lucero frontman Ben Nichols branched out on his own, with a seven song EP based on Cormac McCarthy's novel "Blood Meridian" (which I haven't read). Taking a mostly old style, slower Americana roots influence, The Last Pale Light in the West sounds like it could serve as a soundtrack for a book that took place in 1850s Texas (according to review on Amazon). Stripped down and led by his Southern fueled, sincere voice and acoustic guitar, along with piano, accordian (courtesy of Rick Steff) and pedal steel guitar (courtesy of Todd Beane), Nichols puts forth songs that are serene, sad and hopeful all at once.

While not a Lucero record (this leans more towards the Americanaa, country/folk side, subtracting much of the rock), this is what fans have come to expect from Nichols, and he far from disappoints. He has one of the best voices in music today, and he has an excellent knack for writing memorable songs. The sincerity is dripping off of every wall that these songs are bouncing off of. Instead of just holding people over until Lucero releases their new album, The Last Pale Light in the West is sure to stand on its own, creating a whole new realm of fans for Nichols (and Lucero itself in the long run).

Written by: RF
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