Cool Hand Luke
“The Fires of Life”
(Floodgate)
Everyone’s favorite part of “Cool Hand Luke” is when he eats the eggs. I say the hell with the egg part. I like the part where Paul Newman yells at God. Remember when he’s all, “Let me know you’re up there! Come on! Love me, hate me, kill me, anything! Just let me know it!” That part is rad. The band Cool Hand Luke would never yell at God, though, as most of their songs contain Bible verses and references to Jesus, sung softly over down-tempo piano playing. “The Fires of Life” comes across as mix between Ben Folds and “The 700 Club”, which is interesting to say the least. “Cinematic” is probably the strongest track on the album, with its haunting cellos and chorus of, “If my life was cinematic/ With a soundtrack, so dramatic/ You’d be the hero and you’d save me.” Very nice, especially because if you’re not down with Jesus then you could just pretend it’s about Sly Stallone, or even our current Governor. Either way you win.
