Luke Elliot

Biography

Elliot was born on June 30, 1984, in Princeton, New Jersey, the second of five children, to Lorna Silver, a poet, and Norbert Elliot, an English language professor. He began taking piano lessons at the age of eight and wrote his first songs at the age of thirteen. After graduating from Lawrence High School, Elliot studied English and Literature at Rutgers University, but left in order to pursue a career in music.

Career

Elliot released his debut EP Death of a Widow, through Yer Bird Records, in 2010. Playing in New York's Lower East Side, Elliot and his band made their way from the small bar scene to some of New York's more popular venues, including Mercury Lounge and Webster Hall. Director Paul Cantagallo ask Elliott to compose the music for his film, Benny the Bum, which won Best Local Film at the 2012 Philadelphia Independent Film Festival. Elliot began headlining Philadelphia venues such as North Star and World Cafe Live. He was introduced to Rihanna’s former manager, Christa Shaub, which led to a chance meeting with an influential Norwegian journalist. That meeting led to a tour of Norway, a television appearance on the Norwegian show Store Studio, and a deal with the label Indie Recordings. Shortly after, he was featured on the music subscription service Tidal Rising.

Elliot traveled to Norway and found his backing band there. He recorded his debut album, Dressed for the Occasion, in Halden, Norway, at Athletic Studio. The LP received positive reviews, earning a dice throw of 6 from the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet. A week before the official release of Dressed for the Occasion for the EU market, Elliot was featured on French radio station RTL2. The LP was released to the EU market on June 3, 2016.

Style and influences

Elliot has been described as having a dark crooning style, with a traditional, melancholic and melodic sound. He has been described similar to Leonard Cohen live and "less rock than Sinatra, more crooner than Springsteen. But related to both. He writes songs with Jackie Leven's beat-elegance, and Stan Ridgeway's attraction to gangster-romance, Nick Lowe's death-drive and Richard Hawley's taste for the grandeur", as well as having his voice described as "[coming] from everywhere and nowhere, energetic and laid-back, passionate and weary of life, at the same time."

He has cited influences ranging from Cramps and Gun Club, as well as Mink DeVille.

Discography