Luke Temple - "How Could I Lie"

Luke Temple previously hinted at his affinity for 1970s rock, specifically Harry Nilsson, in tracks like "Everything's Big" off his Here We Go Magic debut. On Temple's latest offering, his "country record" Don't Act Like You Don't Care (which I raved about back in June), those influences are brought out even more into the forefront in a batch of rootsy and raw-flavored folk. Replacing the sparkle and sheen of his effect- and samply-heavy Here We Go Magic project, Don't Act Like You Don't Care instead embraces the live and casual setting of friends sitting around an apartment making music together. And tracks like "How Could I Lie" are all the more rich for it: a lightly played piano and organ, the patter of a brush dancing on a snare, and Temple's dynamic set of pipes nailing notes both low and high in an emotive yet playfully loose performance that again recalls Nilsson. As far as Temple's records go, Don't Act Like You Don't Care might just contain his strongest and most consistent batch of songwriting to date.

Don't Act Like You Don't Care is out now on Western Vinyl.

Luke Temple - "How Could I Lie" (from Don't Act Like You Don't Care)