New Music Critique: Midnight Door

You don’t hear many singer-songwriter-cellists, so we were intrigued by Luke Janela. On the upside, we like his moody and mysterious vision. His breathy vocals and artful use of handclaps and tribal percussion are artful and compelling. The downside is the artist’s overuse of his instrument––the insistent presence of the cello’s murmuring, monotonous tone ultimately hampers these lengthy tunes. “Mooooooon” stands out due to bold percussion and a compelling momentum at the end. Perhaps a female backup choir could add color and dimension to it? “Seriously” approaches standard pop-rock but needs tightening and polishing. This artist might want to consider a theatrical presentation for his music.