Summon Up a Monkey King is the second solo album and Yellow K Records debut of LUKA, the singer/songwriter moniker of Luke Kuplowsky. The Toronto musician is also known for the much less spare and intimate fare of his indie rock band Broken Bricks, which also features his songwriting. Using more personal inspiration for LUKA -- his debut LP was made in the aftermath of a breakup -- Kuplowsky offers heartfelt, often wry reflections on love and its repercussions on his follow-up. Its title was partly inspired by the 1995 film A Chinese Odyssey, which involves a particular Chinese archetype, the mythological trickster (the Monkey King). With this in mind, the title song offers a mix of earnest and nonsensical advice on surviving heartache, such as "Swallow up your ugly thoughts/I know it's hard to keep them down." Like much of the album, it features the songwriter's weary tenor, guitar, backing singers, and light drumming by Evan Cartwright. Limited electronics can be found on a few tracks as well, such as "A Kiss," which also showcases the Spanish-guitar influence in Kuplowsky's playing. With shadows of doo wop, the noir-ish "Pauses of the Night" also makes use of spooky echo effects and distortion while remaining loyal to the album's gentle disposition. Importantly, the record's heavy heart has a subtle yet persistent sense of humor (note "Never Write About the Women You Love"). "Why Don't You Go to Her" begins with the whimsical introduction "This is a conversation between me and my heart." He proceeds to try to talk himself into approaching an object of affection. (spoiler alert: he chickens out.) Elsewhere, the particularly intimate and sometimes silly "Always the Same Bed" expresses affection with a sweet playfulness that makes the sentiment all the more authentic. Kuplowsky is so well-intentioned and openly insecure throughout Summon Up a Monkey King that many listeners will find themselves rooting for him early on and for the duration. Whether welcome or unwanted, it's an effective (and affective) reminder that love makes fools of us all.