• Artist: The Luck with special guest Roisin O’Hagan

• Date: 25th July, 2019

• Location: Thousand Islands, Islington

• Website: https://www.twitch.tv/theluckmusic

• Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)

• Video: Martin Cox

Album launches are always special occasions, especially when it is marking the launch of a wonderful and highly anticipated debut. Thousand Islands, a ‘glitterball’ filled venue above the famous Garage. played host to a fast-rising London based brother and sister duo, who I think have all the elements and great team behind them, to become one of the UK Americana and Folk Rock breakthroughs acts of 2019.

Blending Americana with Folk Rock, Max and Esmay have such a great talent to write and produce memorable, meaningful and commercial songs. Blended together with excellent arrangements, musicianship and special ‘blood’ harmonies. The first time I heard their music I had the same reaction as I did when I first heard The Wandering Hearts, who have gone on to great success over the past few years.

On the hottest day so far of 2019, the crowd braved the heat to enjoy a top night of new indie music.

Their special guest and opening the launch was Essex based Country singer-songwriter Roisin O’Hagen who has also been on my radar for a while. Roisin was a Fender Undiscovered Artist of the Year 2018 finalist and has recently performance a ‘Under The Apple Tree’ session at the home of a legendary supporter of new artists broadcaster Bob Harris. Taking to the stage solo with her bright red Fender acoustic, Roisin performanced a seven song set of some of her most popular tracks including ‘Miss You Like June’, ‘Undone’, ‘Run’ and ‘Living In The Dark’, We were even treated to her UTAT session song ‘Coming Home’. With a great new single ‘Drive’ released back in June, I’m expecting more very deserved recognition and success for Roisin this year. Please watch out for her at a gig or festival near you.

Introduced by another wonderful BBC Radio 2 broadcaster and support of indie music Paul Sexton, Max and Esmay took to the stage along with Jim on drums and Scott on guitar. With Esmay taking the lead vocal they opened their set with the rocky Americana flavoured ‘True North’. This was quickly followed by a great track which has received a lot of regional radio play recently ‘ If This Is Love’ taken from the new album. ‘Lionheart’ is an aspiration song about having courage, really going for it and following your dreams. The pace then slowed for the heartfelt ‘Place In The Sun’, a love song written for their parents 40th wedding anniversary.

With just Max and Esmay on stage, Max plays piano and takes lead vocals on the uplifting, atmospheric Fleetwood Mac and Laurel Canyon flavoured ‘Rise & Shine’. Another aspirational song in the set was the very catchy folk rock ‘Vertigo’. It was full of driving percussion and soaring harmonies. One of my favourite tracks on the night was the wonderful and reflective ‘Holding On’, which was the first track the Max and Esmay wrote togethe with its beautiful heartfelt lyrics, soft finger picked guitar, delicate bass and super vocals. Next was the the more rocky album title track ‘Ready To Run’ which is receiving a lot of praise and love and very rightly so. The track was written near Lake Tahoe in the US about the end of a relationship.

Max and Esmay returned to the stage for their well deserved two song encore. First was the wonderful ‘Leave Your Light On’ followed by a beautiful unplugged up close and personal performance of ‘Muscle and Bone’ in the middle of a very attentive audience.

It was a super and very memorable debut album launch by two new high flying stars of the London music scene. LCM ‘Ones to watch’ in 2019.

You can buy a copy of Max and Esmay’s new album below or directly through their website >>>