Luka Bloom's debut CD was what often occurs with a great young artist. It is brash, exuberant, poetic and wildly uneven. It also made me an instant fan when I first heard it (and subsequently saw him perform live) in 1990. He yelps and shouts, coos and whispers, strums his guitar on some songs with a gorgeous sustain and lets his fingers fly on others. It's almost impossible to keep from getting caught up in the spirit.

On the moody and spiritual side are the songs "Dreams In America" and "The Man is Alive." Both of these feature introspective lyrics that Bloom sings in his Irish-husky and rich voice. "The Man is Alive" is a father and son reminisce (and seems to be the source of the album's title), coaxing a loving tribute from Bloom. There's also the cautionary "The One," which takes a look at where those that head to the edge may find themselves.

On the exuberant side is the lead track, "Delirious." This ode to puppy-love excitement is what first attracted my attention, and almost 20 years later it still packs a thrill. There is also the concert favorite "You Couldn't Have Come at a Better Time," which is pure folk singalong. He does over-reach with the dream-song "A Irishman In Chinatown," which has not aged as well, but still is funny.

Bloom improved on almost every release after this and is still a knockout performer. (I saw him recently on his Innocence tour and he still had the joy of performing.) While my personal favorite remains Turf, you can still find all of his albums online and could pick almost any to start from. (Amazon Review)
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