Lukas Barret - Springtime for loser

​Lukas Barret

Springtime for loser
self-released; 2016

​3.2 out of 5

By Jamie Funk

Lukas Barret from North Carolina is just getting his start making instrumental music. His EP Springtime for losers completely revolves around a single guitar. Truth be told you better be pulling off some pretty creative and technically minded parts to keep my attention. Barret isn’t there yet in the technical department but at the very least shows some potential.

The EP opens with “Mr.CoolBreeze” where he plucks out a couple of notes. The song moves slowly never really going much of anywhere. Some advice from the production standpoint is that the song contains digital distortion on certain notes. Make sure you aren’t coming in too hot or this will be the case.

“Ups and downs” is a simple picking pattern that lasts forty-eight seconds and abruptly stops while “Springtime for losers” contains a couple of strummed chords and a lead guitar which provides loose fills. 

“Nature calls” crawls along at a snail's pace. He adds what sounds like some kind of modulation effect and there might be a field recording of some sort way in the background.  He closes with “Daylight Savings” which just sounds like he is tinkering around with his guitar.

Barret seems like a really young guy and I have some pragmatic advice for him being someone who has played guitar for twenty-plus years. The songs sounded more like ideas at this point. I would encourage him to experiment as well as listen to instrumental guitarists. A good starting point and fairly like-minded instrumental guitarist would be William Tyler. Barret may find some inspiration on his album Modern Country.

Barret still has a long way to go but everyone has to start somewhere.

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