Lucero are a band who take their rock & roll seriously, and 2018's
Among the Ghosts and 2021's
When You Found Me were clear reflections of that: albums that dealt with serious themes with the appropriate degree of gravitas and thoughtful intent. They were serious enough that while both albums were powerful and emotionally engaging, they were just a bit short on fun, and
Lucero knew it. 2023's
Should've Learned by Now is a corrective response, an album where the band focuses on rocking out and bringing the party more than they did on their two previous LPs.
Lucero's idea of fun has never been simple or simple-minded, and there's more than a little soul-searching on numbers like the heartfelt "She Leads Me" or the
Springsteen-esque "At the Show," where the protagonist wants nothing more than for the woman he loves to hear the songs he's written for her. But the one-two punch of the lead-off tracks, "One Last F.U." and "Macon If We Make It," delivers some swaggering, fist-pumping joy that's been in short supply since 2015's
All A Man Should Do, and the breakup stories "Nothing's Alright" and "Drunken Moon" and the cool snarl of "Buy a Little Time" may not be full of laughs, but they connect with the confidence and strength of a crack rock band at cruising speed. The impassioned grit of
Ben Nichols' vocals is used to excellent effect here, and the full-bodied punch of
Brian Venable's guitar and
Rick Steff's keyboards is the place where punk-adjacent attitude and classic-rock grandeur meet and learn to get along.
Among the Ghosts and
When You Found Me were outstanding albums that reflected a difficult time for the world in which
Lucero lives.
Should've Learned by Now makes it clear things still aren't always a breeze for them, but they've learned that sometimes you just need to plug in that guitar and shake off the bad times as best you can, and they've done so like the great band they are. Put this on, turn it up, and join them in the party. ~ Mark Deming
![Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness [Clean]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/5099997855323_p0_v3_s90x140.jpg "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness [Clean]")
