johnny cash and little richard's illegitimate child, precipitation, sunburns, seattle, vancouver, mexico city, the kite in the hurricane, the belly of the whale, the prodigal son
Singer-songwriter Lucas Kwong is a dichotomy for the ages. At 24, he is an old soul: you hear it in his trembling voice; you even see it in the lumbering way he walks. And yet his regard for life is that of boyish wonder and joy.
Lucas was born and raised in Vancouver. During his college years at Yale, he explored New Orleans, Santa Fe and Mexico City; after a year's jaunt in Seoul, he returned to the East Coast. "I don't think I'd be the kind of songwriter I am apart from my travels," Lucas says. "We create when we allow ourselves to be haunted. I allow those cities to haunt me."
Musically, Lucas is as motley as his wanderings suggest. Reveling in the sounds of folk, spirituals, and rock 'n' roll, he draws on these idioms to capture the urgency of life, love, and death all around him. On stage, he performs solo with his guitar, occasionally employing the loop pedal and other accompaniment. With these tools, a chameleon-like vocal range, and a stage presence that belies his slight stature, Lucas brings his songs to life.
Faith is critical to Lucas' artistic project: his lyrics often envision the divine as residing in an earthly space. "My goal, like that of fiction, is to articulate the cosmos I inhabit, which is the cosmos of the Bible, of Yahweh and Yeshua Messiah and demons and angels," Lucas says. "Inhabiting this universe can be very lonely in New York. My songs try to deal with this loneliness." Indeed, his music is alive with images of the celestial upending the realm of everyday disenchantment. In "Angels in a Dark Room," messengers descend to earth, hoping to proffer peace; instead, they are rejected by those who demand angels of stone. "Dialogue" literalizes the exchange between realms when Lucas implores, "Hear me, Three-person destroyer / Meet my mother in the parlor and tell her you adore her." By the end of the song, healing and wholeness are birthed from this summons.
It is possible that Lucas may be the freakiest Jesus Freak you will ever hear, but don't let that prevent you from coming closer. His rapture is for all to partake of; as a line from "Sunday Evening" notes, "All of us are lovers, all of us are friends." In a world that is crumbling down all around us, Lucas clings to a simple mantra, swiped from the Apostle Paul himself: "It's not about making the mountains shake / Damning the devil to a fiery lake / It's about the most excellent way / So give me love, love, love, love, love."
-Lauren Ro
Had this in the works for a long time... basically the culmination of a good amount of work over the last few years. Version with CD booklet also available.
Myspace is being dysfunctional so I can't add any new upcoming shows, but LUCAS KWONG VS THE INQUISITION is playing this Friday, March 7, at Club FF in Hongdae at 11 pm. Walk straight out of Sangsu Station exit 6 till you see Rocky Mountain Tavern on the right side of the street; turn into the alley directly opposite. It's next to Club TA. Man won cover charge.
Some bands take years to find their sound, but you guys found it in just 3 gigs! Wow! I'm truely impressed. Lucas, you've really found your element, and your band sounds sweet. great job at DM. Everyone really enjoyed your set. Cheers.
