Parked By the Jukebox with Luluc’s “Passerby”

From Sub Pop Records, the label behind the album currently streaming through my headphones: Luluc’s “Passerby.”

In a world where instant gratification is the norm, patience has become a rare commodity. But for Zoë Randell and Steve Hassett, who make up indie-folk duo Luluc (pronounced Loo-LUKE), letting things unfold in due time not only defines their career trajectory, it also works as a pretty good description of their approach to making music. Music that Sub Pop co-founder Jonathan Poneman describes as “bracing, subtle, tender and magnificent”.

So while it may seem like Randell and Hassett’s history is littered with all kinds of good luck—from their initial meeting, to their relationship with The National’s Aaron Dessner, to their deal with Sub Pop, to grabbing the attention of Nick Drake’s producer—being in the right place at the right time isn’t just about fate. It’s about knowing when something feels right and having the confidence that people will respond when they’re ready.

The wait is over. The world is ready to hear Luluc quiet and clear.

Very peaceful stuff. Something fundamentally December-y about it, to my ears. (Not to be confused with Decemberist-y.)

And since musical free-association is what I do, I’ll go ahead and say that I detected a strong hint of S&G’s “For Emily” in the opening track. And I can’t get away from the fact that their “Tangled Heart” keeps reminding me of a non-terrifying version of Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” …even as I try to figure out if “non-terrifying” and “White Rabbit” can even be in the same sentence together. (I’d also like to think that I heard a bit of Nick Drake in there before I heard Luluc’s “Saturday Sun” cover, but I’m really not sure that’s true. Cart/Horse stuff always confuses me.)

The music video for the aforementioned track is a gorgeous little thing, as well. And because ’twas NPR’s “All Songs Considered” blog that brought the group to my attention in the first place, it seems only fair to mention the duo’s Tiny Desk Concert, which is as lovely as you’d expect.

Emjoy!

Attribution(s): Karl Scullin’s photo and the album’s cover art via Luluc’s “Promotional & Press” page over at Sub Pop Records.