Album Review: Luke Beling – This Parlor Trick Life – Spiritually seeking folk troubadour

If the name Luke Beling seems familiar, it’s because I have covered his work in the past. This latest album brings together several developed themes for a spiritual-seeking album that stays true to the roots of a folk troubadour. This is the kind of music that makes you stop and really ask some hard questions (in the best way possible). Also, of note, the album was produced by Tyler Fortier, who also produced Jeffrey Martin’s fantastic album One Go Around. So, hang on tight because this is a good one.

In the second track of the album “American Dreams,” there’s a line about “this parlor trick life it ain’t for you and I…” that really pops. It’s the title line for the full album in a track that feels positively Springsteen-esque in the energy that propels. The lines are relatable, talking about life in everyday working class America. It’s loaded with meaning, images like having “no more life to bleed.” It’s about the difficulty of survival life all while seeking, dreaming even, of a better life.

“Journey to the Moon” has some lovely vocal harmonies in the opening and a militaristic snare tapping in the background, creating an engaging soundscape to open the track. This kind of vision and writing style absolutely stands out from the crowd. The vocal style on this one cuts through well with Beling’s characteristic tone. His singing feels like a folk singer that makes you want to pay attention; it’s authentic and genuine, which is all we can ever hope for from our storytellers.

“All Is Not Lost” has a steady beat with a commanding bass drum and some poetic lines to open the track. “We fell into a deep dark hole, but all is not lost…” It’s a story about the need for resilience in the midst of difficulty and trial. In terms of genre, the song captures elements of folk and rock, yet there’s a lovely slide guitar in the mix that gives it an ever-present faint feeling of Americana as well. It’s a vibey track and worth enjoying with your eyes shut to just… feel it.

The following track “One Road Out” has some dreamy electric guitar elements in the opening that pull the listener in right away. The delicate electric guitar lines have a pleasant melody that invite the listener to connect with the sincerity of the lead vocal lines. Once the chorus hits, though, it’s about taking off and going on an adventure. If you’ve ever gone on a journey where you weren’t sure where to go, but you knew you just had to go… that the adventure was more important than the destination… then this track will absolutely resonate with you.

“A Little Living Tonight” might be my favorite song on the album. It’s the most like Jeffrey Martin on the album and I hope I’m not speaking out of turn here, but I actually think the acoustic guitar work sounds like Martin is playing. The poetic lines and the melody progression is high quality folk, there’s an almost cinematic quality to the way it grows through the track. The lyrical theme reminds me of what I loved about “A Little Bit of Everything” by Dawes years ago. The sentiment here is about appreciating what’s in front of you, cultivating that attitude of gratitude.

“Every Now and Not Yet” feels like the most folk rock of the album. The vocal has a Springsteen energy to it again, a steady sense of forward momentum. The lyrical theme is about appreciating where we are and realizing that we have not fully developed to where we will be. In some spiritual traditions, this would be called sanctification; I’m not certain that’s how Beling means it, though. It’s more about acknowledging the process of change (in a good way) and embracing that.

“One More Day to Come” is the most pop track on the album. The syncopated beat from the percussion creates a unique vibe to the song, allowing Beling’s vocal over the top to feel like a completely different style than the rest of the album. The line about “marching to the beat of the silent drum” is delightfully paradoxical in the midst of a song with such a prominent drum style. “Nowhere To Go” has a dreamlike electric guitar that creates a sense of depth and space in the recording. The lead vocal leans in with authenticity on this one with some narrative storytelling that reminds me a bit of Anna Tivel’s stories of ordinary people.

“Reversing Thunder” features a soft and gentle high vocal that feels comfortable, like a lullaby. Beling’s vocal joins to create a delicate and endearing duo sound. “Crashing” ft. Joseph Pennell is the last track we have space to feature here. The expressive banjo work on this one creates a unique texture that I appreciate. There are some cinematic elements in the string work in the background, making it a special composition on the album. It blends genres in a way that rolls the emotional energy into the lyrics, nudging the listener to contemplate both the “light that keeps on flashing” as well as why the main character “keeps on crashing.” The openness allows the listener space to connect.

So you might be wondering why I said this album is so “spiritual” because it’s not following in some specific spiritual tradition. Well, it’s not religious, but it’s spiritual. My encouragement is for you to just sit back and listen with your ears, but also breathe deeply and open up your heart, too. There are some truths throughout this album, some wisdom that will speak to each listener uniquely. It’s that kind of art; it’s not a jam record or a party album and I don’t think Beling intended it that way. This is an album that could accompany your road trip or an evening on the patio, but I think it’s best suited for meditation and thoughtful reflection. This is one that takes a few listens to worm into your soul, but once it gets there you’ll feel a lot of resonance like artists in the vein of John Prine or Jeffrey Martin, people who can tell a good story that is ultimately greater than the sum of its parts.