Now Hear This: Isn't it Strange (single) - Sluka

Rating: *** 1/2

We are big Sluka fans around these parts.

I was first introduced to Sluka's music back in 2017 when I reviewed his record "Colorful Radiation" on this very website. I love dark singer-songwriter stuff with melody, so I was immediately drawn in by Sluka's work.

Needless to say, I was very excited to see this one come down the pike for a review. I can't wait to see what kind of clever lyrics with a brooding pop background he's been brewing up in the last 4 years.

I'm gonna sip some black coffee and enjoy this one first thing this morning. You can sample it too, just below this sentence that you're reading right now.

I'll have my thoughts just after that.

Watch video for "Isn't it Strange" on YouTube below:

Sluka is always gonna be a poet at heart. His verses here aren't the most inspired, but they are earnest and he sings it in his best Nick Cave-on-a-Sunday morning tone. The accompanying video is steampunk-themed, which would come off dated if it didn't just seem like something Sluka and his bassist would wear on any old Tuesday. The chorus harmonies are unique and several transitional pieces of music are super interesting. The middle bits show Sluka showing a more desperate sounding vocal that starts to show off his versatility as a singer. This song definitely gets better as it goes on and by the end, I didn't want it to be over.

This isn't my favorite piece by Sluka, but it's solid. I think fans of Tom Waits, Nick Cave, and Morphine will find some comfort in knowing there are artists like Sluka still holding the torch for haunting singer-songwriters, and "Isn't It Strange" will tide them over some. I recommend it strongly, even if I think there's some stuff in his catalog that I hold in higher regard.