Review- Zachary Lucky: The Wind
Photo by Aaron Wynia
As the seasons are changing, the wind is definitely blowing in cooler weather. In most places across the United States and Canada, everyone is pulling out their winter gear, stocking up on firewood, and sipping hot drinks. Lucky for us, there’s a new album out now that makes for perfect listening on a record player in a cozy sitting room with a fire blazing and a drink to warm you through – The Wind by Zachary Lucky. Zachary hails from Saskatoon in the prairie province of Saskatchewan, Canada and is the grandson of Canadian Country Music pioneer Smilin' Johnnie Lucky. Dubbed “The Laureate of the Lonesome Song,” Zachary Lucky has been making a name for himself as a well-respected singer-songwriter with The Wind clocking in as his sixth full-length album.
The Wind is a storyteller album. The instrumentation is stripped-down and subtle. Lucky’s husky baritone delivery is raw and steeped in a familiar classic country music composition. Each of these elements allows the listener to focus on the lyrics and imagine the places the story is navigating through. “The Wind feels like the album I’ve been trying to make my entire career,” remarks Zachary. “I’ve always tried to create albums that really put the song and story front and center, making the listener feel like they’re right there in the room with us.”
The stories in each track are proverbial, yet ambiguous enough that each listener can relate in their own way. The songs feel personal because they are. They are drenched in the emotions and vulnerability of finding yourself as each chapter of your life unfolds. Subject matter revolves around developing relationships, nurturing them through the peaks and valleys, and sometimes succumbing to their demise.
Relationships between lovers or friends seem like obvious characters in any story, but the relationship we have with ourselves is often the one overlooked and neglected. Learning from experiences whether they are a success or a failure is the cornerstone of building character; what you do with that knowledge defines the path you carve out in your lifetime. These songs represent a roadmap to the paths we travel in our existence.
Zachary Lucky has spent his entire adult life running the roads from one end of Canada to the other and all over the United States. That’s a lot of time and miles to generate experiences and mold ideas into the lyrics for the songs that make up the album. “Good at Gettin’ Gone” begins the album and sets the platform of the nomadic and down-and-out character thesis that persists throughout the tracks. The life of a traveling independent artist is not glamorous, but necessary to support the need to share stories and songs. Sometimes the bills are hard to pay and long-distance relationships are harder to maintain. Consequently, it takes a toll on one’s mental health.
“A hundred miles from nowhere / Yes, I’m good at gettin’ gone / All the miles / They add up fast / All my bills / They do too / And I wonder / What’ll be left / When I get on home to you”
In “Jasper,” Lucky even portrays a woman’s perspective to love lost in relationships with men who travel. Just like the wind: Here today, gone tomorrow.
“I heard her say / ‘They always leave me / Those prairie boys / They’re like the wind / They come around / Then they’re gone’ / And I wonder / Will she love again / Will I love again/ Will she love again”
“Jasper” and “Ramblin’ Kind” have been popular singles for Lucky during this album cycle. He sings about the places he’s traveled and how being on the road brings him tranquility, composure, “peace of mind.” The lyric video for “Ramblin’ Kind” features video clips from locations all over Canada and the United States taken by Lucky while on tour in 2023 and 2024.
Zachary has been playing a cover of fellow Canadian singer-songwriter Fred Eaglesmith’s tune “Water in the Fuel” in his live shows for quite some time. The song fits in perfectly with the themes of The Wind, so it makes sense that Lucky would include it in the album recording.
The title track has an instrumental intro that opens the album and the full lyric version that concludes it. “The Wind” serves as an explanation to living life predominantly on the road.
“My son, where have you gone / Why did you go astray / It’s not that I have ever wanted to / I swear, I wanted to stay / That wind blew heavy / That wind blew cold / That wind did blew me away”
Brought together by their love of good songwriting and vintage analog gear, The Wind was co-produced alongside friend and fellow songwriter Benjamin Dakota Rogers. Zachary was joined by an all-star cast featuring Miles Zurawell on dobro, Andrew Collins on mandolin, Sam Clark on fiddle, Peter Klaassen on upright bass, Will Fisher on drums, and Rebekah Hawker on vocals. Bringing this album to fruition was made possible by loyal fans of Zachary’s that crowd-funded the project with 114% in financial support through Kickstarter. Zachary Lucky’s supporters have come to know the work ethic he puts behind his craft and have no doubt on his delivery. So, if you’re just learning about his music or have been a long-time follower, the album is now available everywhere for your enjoyment. Zachary Lucky also has an extensive tour schedule, so be sure to follow him on all the socials for updates.
Find more info about Zachary Lucky at the links below:
