Home Video. Lucy Dacus

Lucy Dacus is a young singer-songwriter often mentioned in one go with Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers, of which the latter has risen to most prominence, I would say based on the attention she receives. At least from this writer, you will not find a lot on these pages. This is different for author Erwin Zijleman, who embraced this new generation singer-songwriters full heartedly. And then came Home Video.

Lucy Dacus is a 26 year old woman originating from Richmond, Virginia, who with Home Video has released her third solo album since 2015. Not being familiar with her previous albums, 'No Burden' and 'Historian', I do not have to compare Home Video to her older work.

What struck me listening to Home Video is the maturity in her presentation. The whole album is, at least mostly so, serious. Singing songs obviously is serious business for Lucy Dacus. It results in me listening intently to her songs in an intense way.

What I realised quite soon, is that the seriousness stems from her voice and diction. Lucy Dacus is a cool singer. She is able to sing as if from a distance observing the stories she is singing about. Even in the song opening the album, 'Hot & Heavy', which you will notice is an up tempo, full band sound song. She sings over it all with a cool voice, allowing for a minimum of emotions to escape. They are there alright. Just listen to the keyboard and synthesizer being introduced in the outro and they are all around me.

In 'Christine' she moves her voice into a higher register and with it her voice takes on a much warmer sound. As if she sheds a skin and reveals her true feelings about observation on expectations. The bare sound of a piano, acoustic guitar surrounded by atmospherics lend the voice the capacity to show its pure strength.

Other songs are full band once again, others more singer-songwriter. One holds a great joke. There's a reference to a Slayer record, one beat later one of my speaker seems to implode after which the band is released for 100% for a few beats, 'VBS'. It makes Home Video diverse and stronger. Each next song is a surprise when getting to know the album.

No, there's nothing revolutionary to be found. All here has been done before. What is presented, is a very decent album. Lucy Dacus has found her voice, knows her Aimee Mann more than anything else, and is able to write good and interesting songs. The result is an album that is easy to like. When with 'Going, Going, Gone', no, not a Dylan cover, a St. Thomas style sing-a-long is presented, I was fully sold.

It has taken me a few years, but finally I have found a Baker, Bridgers, Dacus album I like. Perhaps more will follow.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Home Video here:

https://lucydacus.bandcamp.com/album/home-video

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g