One Track Mind: Nick Cave - Into My Arms (1997)

Nick Cave is a brilliant songwriter. Admittedly much of his material is a bit dark for my tastes but the first time I heard Into My Arms it moved my soul.  A person's religious beliefs are very personal and I dare say that no two people hold the exact same beliefs.  The song is a testament of love and respect of one another's beliefs and how love can bridge those differences.

The song is sung from the perspective of a non-believer addressing his love who is a believer.  The song says, I may not believe in God, but if I did I'd ask him to protect you, to watch over you, and to guide you to me.  The non-believer after going through a litany of things he doesn't believe in says he does believe in love and that his belief in love should be enough to bridge the differences in belief between he and his love.

Stripped down to just Cave on vocals and piano the song grows even more starkly personal and moving with Cave's deeply emotive vocal delivery and subtle understated piano playing.  Both lyrically and musically the song is a touching and at times haunting baring of a soul.  The vulnerability goes far beyond moving and is easily one of the most emotionally wrenching songs ever recorded.

The song works on both a deeply personal level and on a grander all-encompassing level.  We may have our differences but don't most of us at least believe in love?  Isn't that belief something to build on, to get past that which divides us?

"But I believe in love
And I know that you do too
And I believe we can choose our path
And we can walk down, me and you"

Forgotten Music Thursday: Dragon - Body and the Beat (1984)

With the unofficial start of summer looming on the near horizon the time to break out good summer music is upon us.

Few CDs scream summer to me the way most of the albums Dragon released in the eighties do.  I'd argue that no other band captured the overall atmosphere and spirit of summer in musical form the way Dragon did. 

In 1979 after firing vocalist Marc Hunter and trying to continue without him Dragon split up and Marc Hunter released a couple of solo albums (Fiji Bitter and Big City Talk).  In the early 80s Dragon decided to have another go at it.  They updated their sound a bit and capitalized on the success of Hunter's Big City Talk album and single as the springboard to catapult them back onto the Aussie charts after a four year absence with the single Rain. 
Rain was so successful the band headed back to the studio to record a full album leaving enough space to include their latest hit... The Body and the Beat was born.  Before even opening the LP, CD, or cassette sleeve the album cover suggests opening the windows to let the summer breeze flow through. 

From the first bars of their hit single Rain through to the closing bars of Fool  Dragon gives the listener a full on blast of that summer breeze.  The album is further augmented by hits like Cry and Magic.  But capturing the overall vibe of summer the best is Cool Down.  You can see the heat shimmering off the pavement, the hot sun beating down on you, the sweat forming in droplets on your forehead.  This song so perfectly captures the heat of summer that even on the coldest days of winter listening to this song makes me want to crank the AC.

The upbeat vibe of Promises (So Far Away) captures the magic and fun of summer nights and further establishes the whole summer vibe of the album:

The moon is a sunlight
It shines in the night

While it sounds dated today the title track, The Body & the Beat is a fun song with Todd Hunter's solid bass chops taking center stage.  The truth is, there's not really a bad track on the album-- there are good ones and great ones.  If you can find this classic Aussie gem GET IT save it for a hot summer day, roll down the windows, turn up the volume and enjoy the soundtrack of summer in full force.

Related Links & Media






Dragon (Australian Archives write-up)
Dragon O Zambezi (1978) review
Marc Hunter Communication (1985) review
Dragon (official website)
Dragon (wikipedia entry)
Dragon (midoztouch.com) - Download their out of print albums in mp3 format

Australian Archives 1: Dragon

Information Taken from Wikipedia:

Dragon formed as a prog-rock band in 1972.  However the original line-up never released any albums.  It was only after bass player, Todd Hunter, brought in his brother, Marc, as a vocalist that the band began to find success.

In 1974 they released their debut album, Universal Radio in New Zealand and followed it up in 1975 with another prog-rock album-- Scented Gardens for the Blind.  While they were successful on the live circuit, their studio albums were met with very little success.

In 1975 their manager, Graeme Nesbitt, convinced them to go in a more pop-friendly direction and to tackle the Australian market.  They brought in keyboardist Paul Hewson who had developed a reputation for being an exceptional songwriter.  In 1976 after the release of their first pop single in Australia, This Time, the band was hit with their first setback.  Drummer Neil Storey died of a heroin overdose at age 22.  Dragon considered disbanding, but again manager Graeme Nesbitt came to the rescue and recommended Kerry Jacobsen as a new drummer.



The 1975-1979 line-up of Dragon consisting of: Todd Hunter: bass guitar; Marc Hunter: vocals; Paul Hewson: keyboards & vocals; Robert Taylor: guitar; and Kerry Jacobsen: drums brought Dragon their first wave of success with Aussie hit singles April Sun in Cuba, Are You Old Enough, and Still In Love With You from their albums Sunshine, Running Free, and O Zambezi.







In 1979 Dragon attempted to break into the US market in a disastrous tour with Johnny Winter in which Marc Hunter nearly incited a riot by referring to a Texas audience as "faggots."  Upon their return to Australia the band was forced to fire Marc.  His drug abuse was adversely affecting his voice and his brother, Todd, felt that the only way to save Marc from himself was to fire him from the band. 

The band enlisted singer Billy Rogers to replace Marc and brought in violinist, Richard Lee in an attempt to change their sound and direction with their new singer.  They released one album, Power Play, that was a commercial flop prompting the band to disband in December of 1979.  Meanwhile Marc cleaned himself up and recorded his debut solo album, Fiji Bitter, and scored a minor hit with Island Nights.  He followed up Fiji Bitter with Big City Talk in 1981.  The title track was a minor hit for him.







In 1982 Dragon reformed, initially under the auspices of paying off their old debts.  Drummer Kerry Jacobsen left for health reasons and was replaced by Terry Chambers.  In 1983 Dragon scored a number 2 hit with Rain.  In 1984 Dragon saw a return to their late seventies era fame with their Body and the Beat album.  Dragon's success was further helped by the success of Marc's 3rd solo album, Communication in 1985. 







Sadly keyboardist and songwriter Paul Hewson left Dragon and died of a drug overdose on January 9, 1985.  Drummer Terry Chambers and guitarist Robert Taylor left the band shortly thereafter.  Chambers was replaced by Doane Perry (currently in Jethro Tull) and Taylor was replaced by Australian guitar ace, Tommy Emmanuel.  The band brought in Todd Rundgren to produce their next album, Dreams of Ordinary Men and toured Europe supporting Tina Turner under the name "Hunter" in 1986 (incidentally Dreams of Ordinary Men was released in the US under the band name, Hunter.  The US version of the album also included a remix of their 1982 hit Rain).





The band briefly split up but released Bondi Road in 1988 with guitarist Randall Waller and drummer Barton Price.  They continued touring into the 90s with the Hunter brothers, their longtime producer Alan Mansfield, and an ever changing line-up of keyboardists, guitarists, and drummers. 





In 1995 Dragon released Incarnations, an album featuring new arrangements of some of their biggest hits with a litany of notable Australian guest musicians augmenting these adventurous new arrangements.

In 1997 Marc Hunter was diagnosed with severe oesophageal cancer.  Marc underwent a litany of traditional and experimental treatments and his friends in the Australian music industry even performed a couple of concerts to help defer his medical costs.  At the first of the benefits, Marc appeared on stage and thanked his fans for coming.  For the second benefit he was to ill to attend but sent a video thanking his fans and friends.  That concert was released on CD as "The Concert for Marc" and includes a who's who of Australian musicians including Little River Band vocalist - Glenn Shorrock, Australian Crawl frontman - James Reyne, Midnight Oil vocalist - Peter Garrett, Cold Chisel vocalist and Australian vocal legend - Jimmy Barnes, Barnes Cold Chisel bandmate guitarist and vocalist - Ian Moss, Men At Work vocalist - Colin Hay, Daddy Cool and later Mondo Rock vocalist - Ross Wilson, Southern Sons lead vocalist - Jack Jones, vocalist Wendy Mathews, and even former bandmates guitarists Robert Taylor and Tommy Emmanuel.  Sadly Marc Hunter succumbed to his cancer on July 17, 1998.



In 2005 Todd Hunter reformed Dragon with vocalist/guitarist Mark Williams, guitarist Bruce Reid, and drummer Peter Drummond.  They released the 2 CD Sunshine to Rain in 2006 featuring acoustic arrangements of Dragon's biggest hits and fan favorites performed by the current line-up of the band.  On July 1, 2008 Dragon were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.  They were joined on stage by Australian Crawl's James Reyne and Cold Chisel's Ian Moss to perform April Sun In Cuba and Rain.  In 2009 Dragon released Happy I Am,  their first album of original material since 1988's Bondi Road.

Forgotten Music Thursday: Hunters & Collectors - Juggernaut (1998)

Several Australian bands tried to crack the U.S. market. Only a small handful (INXS, Midnight Oil, Little River Band, AC/DC, Crowded House, and the Bee Gees kinda sorta) were successful in that endeavour.

Much to our detriment, one of the groups whose attempt to crack the US market was met with little or no success was Hunters & Collectors-- a gritty pub rock band with a horn section.

Early on Hunters & Collectors were driven largely by their rhythm section-- John Archer on bass and Doug Falconer on drums and the gritty vocals of Mark Seymour. As the years progressed the bands music grew increasingly more accessible, the horn section became a stronger component of the band's sound and Mark Seymour really came into his own not just as a vocalist but also as a singer.

In 1998 the band decided they'd broken all the new ground they could. They entered the studio for one final studio album-- Juggernaut and a farewell tour (Juggernaut - Say Goodbye 1998).

While not as commercially succecssful as 1993's Cut or 1994's Demon Flower-- Juggernaut is easily Hunters & Collectors most accessible album. While their earlier material certainly had an audience, many found it to be a little TOO adventurous and at times a bit too pretentious in its adventurousness.

While this album lacks any real stand-out tracks it also lacks "filler" material. It's a consistent and strong and respectable album from start to finish.

There's something imminently enjoyable about hearing the horns "dancing" with Seymour's smooth vocals on True Believers, the infectious groove of Higher Plane, and the classic H&C sound of When You Fall which recalls the stylings of much of the "Hunnas" earlier material.

If you're looking for something a little bit different, an exit just far enough the main highways of music to be both enjoyable and accessible... This final farewell from a band that decided to burn out rather than fade away is well worth a few spins on your CD player.

Forgotten Music Thursday: Jimmy Barnes - s/t (1985 - US) )For the Working Class Man (1985 - Australia)

The combination of 14 Australian Top 40 albums for Cold Chisel and 13 charting solo albums, including nine No. 1s, gives Jimmy Barnes the highest number of hit albums of any Australian artist.  Yet in the United States, Barnes is virtually unknown.

In 1985 Jimmy Barnes, took another stab at the US market, this time as a solo artist.  His band, Cold Chisel had, at best, a lukewarm reception when they'd attempted to crack the American market a few years earlier.

Unfortunately, largely due to poor timing, Barnes was met with a similar lack of enthusiasm on his solo attempt.  While he was arguably far more talented than Bryan Adams, his music was far too similar to that of the Canadian rocker who had beat him to the punch for people to take much notice.

Luckily for Barnes the album was a smash hit that went multi-platinum outside the United States and even yielded 1998, 2003, and 25th anniversary (2010) re-releases in Australia.  Working Class Man (penned by Journey keyboardist and the album's co-producer, Jonathan Cain) was even used in the American film Gung-Ho (featuring actor Michael Keaton).  The title song was so popular in Australia that the film was re-titled Working Class Man for its Australian release.   

Incidentally Cain thought so highly of Barnes that he approached him about possibly replacing Steve Perry in Journey.  An offer which Barnes thankfully politely declined.

The album features some solid blues tinged rockers that have aged far better than much of the material from the eighties.  While the track order was changed substantially for the re-releases the album is equally enjoyable whether the songs are listened to in the American track order:

1. No Second Prize (Barnes)
2. I'd Die To Be With You Tonight (Sandford)
3. Working Class Man (Cain)
4. Promise Me You'll Call (Barnes)
5. Boys Cry Out For War (Barnes)
6. Paradise (Barnes)
7. Without Your Love (Arnott, Barnes)
8. American Heartbeat (Cain)
9. Thick Skinned (Arnott, Barnes)
10. Ride The Night Away (Jordan, Little Steven)
11. Daylight (Barnes)

Or with the Australian track order:

1. I'd Die To Be With You Tonight (Sandford)
2. Ride The Night Away (Jordan, Little Steven)
3. American Heartbeat (Cain)
4. Working Class Man (Cain)
5. Without Your Love (Arnott, Barnes)
6. No Second Prize (Barnes)
7. Vision (Barnes) (Bonus track not on original release)
8. Promise Me You'll Call (Barnes)
9. Boys Cry Out For War (Barnes)
10. Daylight (Barnes)
11. Thick Skinned (Arnott, Barnes)
12. Paradise (Barnes)

Admittedly the first time I heard Jimmy Barnes voice (his duet with fellow Aussie vocalist, John Farnham, When Something Is Wrong With My Baby)  I was not a fan.  His rasp grated on my nerves.  Unbeknownst to me at the time, Barnes voice had snuck under my skin and started to fester.  Over time a voice that I once found grating I've grown to absolutely love. 

While some might argue that Barnes is best enjoyed within the confines of Cold Chisel, I'd counter that his solo material challenges that argument quite convincingly.  While his solo material is not necessarily superior to his material with Cold Chisel it is certainly on the same level of quality.  If Barnes voice doesn't grab you at first, give it time.  He has a swagger to him that demands to be noticed and inevitably enjoyed.

There's an easy enjoyability to this album from start to finish.  The album is augmented by guest contributions including late 70s/early 80s pop chanteuse Kim Carnes, the aforementioned Jonathan Cain, and the highly respected Aussie vocalist Renee Geyer.

In hindsight I can understand why, within the context of the mid-eighties, this album failed to generate a stir in America.  However, at the same time, I'd argue this album has aged far better than many of the albums that were far more popular at the time of its release.  It lacks the oversynthesized keyboard saturation that was so prevelant on other releases from that era that was so welcome at the time but now makes those releases sound so dated.  The tracks written and produced by Jonathan Cain even show him exhibiting far more restraint with Barnes than he exhibited in Journey.  (**** out of 5)

Related Links & Media
Working Class Man video (Australian)

Working Class Man video (American)

I'd Die To Be With You Tonight video

Ride The Night Away video 

Boys Cry Out For War video

No Second Prize video

Daylight video

Jimmy Barnes (official site)
Jimmy Barnes (wikipedia)

Forgotten Music Thursday: Moving Pictures - Days of Innocence: The Ultimate Collection (2003 expanded re-release of 1981 album)

In the early eighties there was a spike in interest in all things from Down Under. Little River Band who had risen to popularity in the late seventies saw their popularity grow. Groups like Split Enz, Men At Work, INXS, the Hoodoo Gurus, Crowded House, Icehouse, and Moving Pictures also made their indelible stamps beyond their own watery borders. While some of these groups are still remembered fondly, some are still even active, many of them have also faded into obscurity. Moving Pictures fall into the latter category.

Initially their success was limited to their own native shores. They saw moderate success on Australia's Countdown with their song, Bustin' Loose and then it all blew wide open when they released What About Me? It quickly became a worldwide hit, buoyed by its rotation on the then rather new and fledgeling MTV (remember when they still featured music videos?)

Their debut album, Days of Innocence which features both the minor "local" hits, Walls and Bustin' Loose as well as the worldwide smash, What About Me? is a delight with its sax-laden power-pop, catchy hooks, forays into New Wave, and the vocals of Alex Smith. In 2003, with Moving Pictures back catalog out of print. This collection featuring Days of Innocence in its entirety along with a handful of non-album singles and the stronger material from their follow-up album, Matinee, which remains out of print to this day was released to sate the public interest in this band.

Given the extra material on the album, one can easily determine why Matinee remains out of print. While the material is enjoyable it hasn't aged well and is not as strong as the first 10 tracks that make up the original Days of Innocence album. That being said, this import is a thoroughly enjoyable snapshot of the best this band had to offer before they split up, went their seperate ways and the band became but a footnote, the subjects in a grainy music video, and an ocassional earworm that would surface on eighties themed radio shows in the United States and Australia.

With the album's dated sound, listening to it is a time machine of sorts. If you close your eyes when listening to it you can not only hear the eighties but feel them seeping into your pores and taking you back to the era in which the music was recorded.

Related Media and Links
What About Me music video

Days of Innocence: The Ultimate Collection (Allmusic.com review)
Days of Innocence (wikipedia)
Moving Pictures (Allmusic.com)
Moving Pictures (wikipedia)

Gotye - Like Drawing Blood (2006)

Normally electronica is not a musical genre I pay much attention to.  Other than my forays into the solo work of former Dream Theater keyboardist, Kevin Moore, under the Chroma Key moniker I've given electronica a rather wide berth.  That's not to say I dislike electronica more that it's never really been on my radar.


I was recently introduced to Gotye by the husband/wife musical blogging duo YourZenMine who were generous enough to send me Gotye's 2006 album, Like Drawing Blood.  Given Wally De Backer's rather transient nature, the story behind the recording of the album reads like lost chapters from John Birmingham's He Died With a Felafel In His Hand- as the album was recorded in various Melbourne bedrooms between 2003 and 2005. 


Gotye (pronounced go-ti-yay, like you would pronounce the French "Gaultier") is Belgian born, Australian bred Wally De Backer and while somewhat unknown here in the United States, De Backer is an ARIA award winning singer-songwriter who derives his music (self-admittedly) about 99% from sampling. 

Like Drawing Blood is a delightful lo-fi album with a decidedly indie feel that is thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.  De Backer's voice is very listenable and well suited to his music.  The mastering however is purely brilliant and betrays the lo-fi nature of the recording of the album giving this lo-fi gem a well polished hi-fi feel.


There's an ambience to the music that feels perfect for long relaxed drives with the windows down.  While the CD is still only available as an import here in the United States it is available for download from Amazon's mp3 store for a very reasonable $6.99.  The album is well worth such a reasonable price tag.  Given its accessibility and pop sensibilities I'd argue that this is the perfect "gateway" album to either introduce new listeners to electronica or to win over listeners who in the past have been rather apathetic to the genre. 


Related Links

Hearts a Mess video





Learnalilgivinanlovin' video




Like Drawing Blood (YourZenMine review)
Like Drawing Blood (wikipedia)
Gotye (official website)
Gotye (wikipedia)

Forgotten Music Thursday: The Cruel Sea - The Honeymoon is Over (1993)

When I was a senior in high school I received a sampler cassette from Polygram Records featuring recently released and up and coming material from their stable of artists/musicians.  Much of the material fell flat with me.  Only two songs really impressed me.  One of which by a band I'd never heard of, The Cruel Sea.  Their single,  The Honeymoon Is Over, instantly caught my attention.

Fast forward a few years to about 1997 or 1998.  I was scanning the shelves of the Sandusky library and stumbled upon this CD, The Honeymoon Is Over by the Cruel Sea. I immediately signed out the CD and furthered my familiarity of this band beyond just the title track.

But first a little background.  The Cruel Sea started out as an instrumental group performing in a Sydney pub so small their guitarists would have to move around to afford the pool players the space to take their shots. 

Handling the lighting for many of their shows was Beasts of Bourbon vocalist, Tex Perkins who took a liking to many of their instrumental arrangements.  Perkins approached guitarist/band founder, Dan Rumour about putting lyrics to some of their instrumentals.

Initially, due to scheduling obligations with the Beasts of Bourbon, Perkins was only able to perform with the Cruel Sea ocassionally.  In 1993, when the Beasts were on hiatus, Perkins was able to devote more of his time to the Cruel Sea and finally became a full member of the band.

Perkins timing was fortuitous, in 1993 the Cruel Sea released their Australian smash hit album, The Honeymoon Is Over.  Which is the only of their albums to receive much notice in the United States. 

The Honeymoon Is Over mixes instrumental roots rock with tracks featuring the gravelly voiced Tex Perkins.  The instrumental and vocal tracks are equally enjoyable making this album an excellent soundtrack for summer parties and grillin' out on the barbie.

The album opens with the fun and somewhat whimsical Orleans Stomp which suggests hints of instrumental sixties surf music.

The title track is the ultimate in break-up songs with lyrics like: I'm gonna send you back to wherever the hell it was you came/then I'm gonna get this tattoo changed to another girl's name.  The groove is infectious and of all the songs on the album it's easily the most radio friendly.

Delivery Man features a killer groove and a smooth but raspy vocal by Tex Perkins.

But all of the songs are thoroughly enjoyable with an easy-going, laidback vibe.  While they would find continued success in their native Australia with Three Legged Dog, Over Easy, Where There's Smoke, and finally capping off their brilliant career was the 2CD live set We Don't Work We Play Music this album marked the beginning and end of their impact on the US market.

While The Honeymoon Is Over was not The Cruel Sea's debut album it is easily one of their most accessible albums and I'd venture the best place to start if you want to explore The Cruel Sea and get to better know their catalog.

Related Links
The Honeymoon Is Over live

The Cruel Sea (allmusic)
The Cruel Sea (wikipedia)
Dan Rumour & The Drift
Tex Perkins

The Cat Empire - s/t (2003)

If you were to look "Party Band" up in the dictionary you'd find a photo of The Cat Empire performing live.  These guys are the epitome of what a party band should be. 

Take a bit of ska, a pinch of funk, a few hints of funk, a cup of reggae, a teaspoon of rap, and a tablespoon or two of jazz toss it in the blender, set it to puree... and you'll get The Cat Empire.

The band is comprised of Felix Reibl (percussion & vocals), Harry James Angus (trumpet & vocals), Ollie McGill (keyboard & backing vocals), Will Hull-Brown (drums), & Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwhala (decks & percussion).  The band is often backed by the brass duo, The Empire Horns (Kieran Conrau/trombone, Ross Irwin/trumpet flugelhorn & backing vocals, & Carlo Barbaro/tenor sax).

As a lover of horns, I'm especially pleased that The Cat Empire does not skimp on the horns when the songs warrant a good solid wall of brass but also know when to show restraint when the material doesn't warrant any brass. 

One might not expect such an eclectic mix of different styles would mix well, but The Cat Empire mixes various different genres with a deft skill that speaks volumes to their musical talent and overall creativity.

Their 2003 debut album starts out with a festive, catchy bang with How to Explain which remains a staple of their live shows to this day.  Days Like These is a catchy fun romp as well, although not quite as fun as How to Explain. 

The album picks up speed again with The Chariot with catchy, upbeat lyrics and an infectuous beat that is near impossible to avoid dancing to.  The band would re-visit this song with a slightly different arrangement on their 2nd album, Two Shoes, but this version has a catchier groove than the more recent updated 2005 arrangement.

The lyrics are at times at empowering and other times downright amusing:

And my knees were shaking
And my jaw was dropping
And my eyes were squinting
And my smile was growing
And my pants were bulging
And my hands were sweating
And my chest was beating
So I cry 'excuse me,
What is the secret to your song?'

Cause when you're walking along
When you're walking along:

Your legs are a melody my hands
Would like to play
And your hips are a note
That does take me away
And your face and your eyes and your hair
And your waist and your smile
Drive me to distraction - excerpt from The Rhythm

After The Rhythm the album downshifts and borrows more from the band's jazz influences.  The material is no less enjoyable and it puts on display the full breadth of their musical talents.

While The Cat Empire has released several more exceptional albums, and their 2005 follow-up Two Shoes is easily superior to this debut.  The album is the best place to start as it whets the appetite for the even better music that was yet to come.

Related media & Links
How to Explain video

The Rhythm video

The Chariot video

Days Like These video

Hello video

The Cat Empire (official website)
The Cat Empire (wikipedia)
The Cat Empire (CD) (wikipedia)
Felix Reibl (wikipedia)
Harry James Angus (wikipedia)
Ollie McGill (wikipedia)

Ian Moss - Six Strings (2005)

As the guitarist for the definitive Australian pub rock band, Cold Chisel, Ian Moss is an Australian icon. He’s also one of their better kept secrets. During Cold Chisel’s long hiatus (1983-1998) Moss recorded and released a small handful of solo albums.


Six Strings is probably the closest Moss has come to a greatest hits package. This live acoustic set shows Moss performing acoustic arrangements of some of his better known songs both as a solo artist and as a member of Cold Chisel.

In the early volatile years of Cold Chisel that saw Jimmy Barnes frequently quitting and rejoining the band Moss was frequently called upon to step up and sing lead for Cold Chisel. This gave Moss some good practice as a vocalist. While not in the same league as Barnes, his smoother vocals gave Cold Chisel a different weapon in their musical arsenal. Even after Barnes would return to the band, Moss would sometimes continue contributing lead vocals. With some of those songs like Saturday Night and Bow River that were included in this collection the acoustic arrangements while enjoyable lack the swagger of the Cold Chisel versions. It’s the lack of Barnes raspy growl on the background vocals that takes some of the steam out of the acoustic versions. However the acoustic arrangements of The Party’s Over, Never Before and My Baby give the songs a new life. The Cold Chisel versions sound considerably dated compared to Moss’s acoustic updates.

The acoustic arrangements of Moss’s solo back catalog are thoroughly enjoyable. Tucker’s Daughter, Two Seconds Too Long, and Angel Eyes are all excellent arrangements. Moss provides brief introductions to many songs indicating who wrote them. Many were long time Cold Chisel bass player, Phil Smalls, compositions as Moss has recorded many of Smalls works both as a member of Cold Chisel and as a solo artist.

The applause throughout is light. It gives the performance a very relaxed and intimate small coffee house feel. As far as live albums go, this one is a gem to be listened to on a pair of high end headphones with the lights turned low.

Related Links
Tucker's Daughter (live)

Bow River (live)

Saturday Night (live)

Ian Moss (official site)
Ian Moss (wikipedia)
 

Marc Hunter - Communication (1985)

There’s an inexplicable comfortableness and familiarity with Marc Hunter’s Communication. It’s the long lost friend you’ve met for the first time. Even though you’ve never seen each other before there’s an instant ease as if you’d known one another your whole lives.

From start to finish Communication is that friend. It’s that album I listened to incessantly when it came out in 1985… except it was never released in the United States and now it’s 2010 and it just leaves me feeling like this is the album I would have been listening to incessantly in 1985 had I been aware of its existence at the time.

There’s not a bad track on the album, Hunter’s voice is as I’ve discovered continually enjoyable whether it’s within the context of his solo material or singing lead with Dragon.

Speaking of Dragon Communication is also the more laidback mellow younger brother to Dragon’s 1984 album, Body and the Beat.

Admittedly the programmed drums keep this album firmly planted in the decade in which they were recorded but the songs are well crafted and the material is strong in spite of the dated sound that the programmed drums give the material.

Urban Tribal has a haunting quality to it and is one of Hunter’s better vocal performances either as a soloist or with Dragon. The Empty Beach is a snapshot of a day alone at Bondi Beach. Lyrically it’s to Australia what Jimmy Buffet’s songs are to the Caribbean. Simple Words feels like a single although, the title track remained the only single released from this album (and it did enjoy moderate success in Australia).

The laidback relaxed but at times melancholic vibe permeates the album from start to finish. But there’s honesty in the music that gives it the aforementioned familiar feeling. Even if you aren’t personally in touch with what Hunter is singing about, you know the type of people of which he sings. They are the characters in the movie of our lives so sit back relax and get to know these ten new friends.

Related Links

Marc Hunter Communication (YouTube video)

Marc Hunter (wikipedia)

INXS - s/t debut (1980)

In 1980 long before they hit it big worldwide, INXS released their self-titled debut album. While most of the material on this album would be unfamiliar to all but the most die-hard of INXS fans there is something about the music that makes unmistakably INXS. There’s a cohesiveness and chemistry in the band and you can even hear the beginnings of Michael Hutchence’s self-assured front-man swagger in his vocals.

What is perhaps most remarkable about this release is the strength of the material. While INXS hadn’t yet found their sound, indeed they seem to be trying a handful of different musical styles on this release to determine which they were most comfortable with. It’s perhaps that adventurousness that the album owes its strengths.

On the flipside, the greatest strength of this debut is also one of its greatest flaws. Because the band was trying so many different styles they never fully invested themselves in anyone of those styles. And while you can hear the band’s cohesiveness on each individual track, as an album the material is so varied there’s a lack of that cohesiveness spread out over the album as a whole.

This album is a definite testament to INXS versatility and musical ability and just about any of these songs could have been released as singles but without a commitment to any specific direction the album lacks any direction at all. Thankfully the band would later find that direction and become a pop music juggernaut worldwide a few years later.

Generally this release would only find fans either in the most die-hard of fans or with those truly curious of the band’s evolution. If you’re one who is familiar with INXS’ hits there are glimpses of that kind of material in songs like In Vain, Roller Skating, or Body Language but for the most part the material on this album is considerably different from the INXS you’re likely familiar with.

Related Links
INXS debut (allmusic.com)
INXS debut (wikipedia)
INXS (official website)
INXS (wikipedia)



Inxs (Self-titled 1980 AUS Import)

Esperanto - Rock Orchestra (1973)

Esperanto were a European progressive rock outfit of somewhat unusual origin. Belgian violinist Raymond Vincent, pianist and musicologist Bruno Libert, and a pair of Italo-Belgian brothers, bassist Gino Malisan and his brother drummer, Tony Malisan. The core of the band was Belgian but it was on a trip to England that the original Belgian unit found the remaining members that would give Esperanto their unique sound.

After experiencing success in his native Australia with the Twilights and later Axiom, Glenn Shorrock decided to travel to England in a bid for international success. He was struggling and finding little or no success in England. The Belgians got in touch with producer David Mackay who knew of Glenn Shorrock and bada-bing Esperanto had a lead vocalist. After hearing a trio of Cliff Richard's back-up singers, Joy Yates, Janice Slater, and Bridget Dudoit their sound was complete.

Esperanto had a sound that was uniquely theirs. With violinist Raymond Vincent there are hints of American prog-rockers, Kansas but Vincent's violin playing is in more of a classical European vein than that of Kansas.

Shorrock, Yates, Slater, and Dudoit gave a glimpse of what was to come later when Shorrock would join Mississippi with Graeham Goble and Beeb Birtles and morph into Little River Band. Their vocal harmonies are tight and contribute to the uniqueness of Esperanto's sound. Another preview of Little River Band would come in the form of Statue of Liberty which Glenn would re-record with LRB on their debut album. The Esperanto version comes across a bit more bombastic and over the top than the somewhat more stripped down LRB version that would be recorded three years later.

After an extensive tour the band retired to a castle in Wales to record their next album. Shorrock decided to take his leave and return to Australia forcing the band to find a new lead singer, Keith Christmas. They also started working with King Crimson lyricist, Peter Sinefeld as their producer.

But it's their 1973 debut that is particularly interesting given Glenn Shorrock's post-Esperanto career path. The album shows Shorrock in a decidedly different light than his material with Little River Band would later display and gives the listener a greater appreciation of Shorrock's vocal versatility.

The album, besides being an interesting rarity is a well-done and thoroughly enjoyable album. The material is predominantly strong. While perhaps not to the same level as other groups whose places in music history are a bit more assurred (Yes, ELP, King Crimson, etc.) Esperanto is still certainly worthy of a few listens.

Related Links
Esperanto (The Official Site)
Esperanto (wikipedia)
Glenn Shorrock (wikipedia)

Cold Chisel - Cold Chisel (1978)

Starting as heavy metal covers band, Orange, in 1973, Cold Chisel changed their sound, shifted its line-up a bit, relocated from Adelaide then to Melbourne, and inevitably to Sydney before being signed by Warner and recording their debut album in 1978.

Little did anyone know at the time that this workingman's pub rock band would become one of the seminal, pivotal, and definitive Australian rock bands.

In the years since, history has shown that Cold Chisel is generally a band that's better enjoyed live than in the studio but their raw energy and bluesy swagger shines through even on their studio releases.

In the years paying their dues in the pub and club circuits of Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney keyboardist/organist Don Walker had emerged as the band's primary songwriter. So it's little surprise that all but one of the songs on Cold Chisel's debut were written solely by Walker (he and vocalist Jimmy Barnes collaborated on Juliet).

The nice thing about this album not being recorded until about five years after the band's inception-- many of the kinks were worked out. Jimmy Barnes had left and rejoined the band several times due to the somewhat volatile relationship with his bandmates. Being a Scot his relationship with Liverpool born drummer Steven Prestwich was particularly heated. Barnes absences in the band's beginnings also allowed guitarist, Ian Moss, to exercise his vocal chops as he often took over on vocals during Barnes' absences from the band.

Going into the studio to record this debut, the kinks were for the most part smoothed over, the material was strong as some of it had been performed in the club circuits over the years and there was a tightness and raw energy in the band's sound that gave them instant appeal across a broad spectrum of the population.

From the opening notes of Juliet to the closing notes of Just How Many Times the band is firing on all cylinders. You can feel your feet sticking to the stale beer soaked floors, see the paint peeling off the walls, smell the acrid ammonia stench emenating from the hallway where the restrooms lurk on every blues-tinged hard rocking note they play.

While Jimmy Barnes handles most of the vocals with his gritty vodka drenched swagger (reminiscent of a cross between AC/DC's Bon Scott and Brian Johnson) Ian Moss does contribute his considerably smoother vocals to One Long Day and Rosaline which keeps the album's vocals consistently interesting. There's not a throwaway track on this release, although admittedly other than the live staple Home and Brokenhearted and the Vietnam anthem, Khe Sanh the material on Cold Chisel's debut is not as recognizable as what would come on later releases.

While this may not be the definitive Cold Chisel album, it does show the band in their somewhat humble beginnings. And the great thing about this band is that they never lost their swagger, drive, or energy. To hear them from the beginning is a real treat that should be enjoyed and savored.

Related Links
Khe Sanh

Cold Chisel (official website)
Cold Chisel (wikipedia)
Jimmy Barnes (official website)
Jimmy Barnes (wikipedia)
Ian Moss (official website)
Ian Moss (wikipedia)
Don Walker (official website)
Don Walker (wikipedia)
Steve Prestwich (official website)
Steve Prestwich (wikipedia)
Phil Small (wikipedia)

Guy McDonough - My Place (1985)

Guy McDonough's contributions to Australian Crawl are often sadly overlooked or forgotten about. In addition to playing guitar for Australian Crawl, Guy wrote or co-wrote a handful of songs on the Sirocco album, McDonough also sang lead on Oh No Not You Again and shared lead vocals with James Reyne on Errol (a song about the late Australian film star, Errol Flynn).

It didn't help McDonough that his voice bore a striking similarity to that of Reyne. To the untrained ear of the more casual fan it sounded as if all of Australian Crawl's songs were sung by Reyne.

In June 1984, Australian Crawl was forced to abruptly end their tour when Guy McDonough was admitted to a Melbourne hospital. Unfortunately, Guy would succumb to viral pneumonia on June 26, 1984. He was only 28.

Prior to his death with his brother Bill (former Australian Crawl drummer) on drums, Sean Higgins on keyboards & synthesizers, Nigel Spencer on bass & synthesizers, and Michael Bright on lead guitar Guy had recorded a handful of demos. Following his untimely passing, as a labour of love, Bill completed work on the demos and polished them up for the posthumous release of Guy's debut and only solo album. A handful of other musicians lent their talents to Bill in his completion of My Place most notably including Guy's bandmate, James Reyne on background vocals, Men at Work's Colin Hay also on background vocals, and Mick Hauser and Jo Camilleri (of Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons) on sax.

Other than being overly synthesizer friendly (it was recorded in 1984 after all!) the material on My Place would not have sounded out of place on an Australian Crawl album. For that matter, Guy had re-recorded Things Don't Seem which he had written and had been originally recorded on Australian Crawl's Sirocco album (although the Crawl's version featured James Reyne on vocals). The songs are all relatively catchy and the material is generally strong. Camilleri's sax is a welcome addition to songs like Too Many People and Can't Help Myself. The latter of which sounds like it just as easily could have come from a Jo Jo Zep album.

Given Guy's untimely passing it's unfortunate that his output was limited to this album, 1 EP and 2 LPs by Australian Crawl. My Place shows incredible promise and does keep the listener wanting more. Incidentally, Australian Crawl did attempt to soldier on without Guy to rather abysmal results. The band's final studio album, Between a Rock and a Hard Place (with Simon Hussey and Mark Greig replacing Guy on guitar) was an abysmal failure that didn't even chart. The band had paid $400,000 out of pocket to record the album and toured extensively to pay off the recording fees associated with that album. Once the album had been paid off and the tour was over, Australian Crawl called it quits. This is quite a testament to Guy's contributions to the Crawl prior to his passing.

Related Links
My Place (download the album in here! compressed in .rar format)
My Place (album details from Midoztouch.com)
Guy McDonough (wikipedia)
Australian Crawl (wikipedia)

Dragon - O Zambezi (1978)

Dragon's story is an interesting one. They started out as a prog-rock group in the early seventies but were met with general indifference. It took some personnel changes and a move from Auckland to Sydney for their careers to take off.

The most notable of the personnel changes was the addition of vocalist Marc Hunter who replaced the departed Graeme Collins at the request of his brother and Dragon guitarist, Todd Hunter.

Marc Hunter looked the part and had the voice and the change of venue was just what the band needed. The move to Sydney put Dragon on a stratospheric trajectory in their adopted homeland.

Following their success in Australia they decided to try to crack the US market on a disastrous tour supporting Johnny Winter. After inciting a crowd in Texas by derogatorily insinuating they preferred the romantic company of the same gender. Marc Hunter related the story in a 1994 interview:

I remember seeing someone standing holding a pistol and shouting 'Im gonna kill you, you son of a bitch'... I didn't know it but by this point the rest of the band had left the stage. I was still singing because I could still hear the music in my head. It took ages to clear the pile of debris on the stage - broken glass, bottles, chairs, half a table - but I was totally unaware of this, I thought I was going over really well and I'm standing there in a crucifixion pose with my arms out, really gone, with heaps of eye make-up on, looking like some sort of twisted priest. And apparently Johnny Winter was taking bets on the side of the stage as to how long it would take before somebody shot me. Then I turned around and saw no one was on stage so I realised I wasn't going over too well after all and I went back to the dressing room and everyone was just standing there... I said 'We went great, weren't we terrific?' At that stage of the band I was really a shocking sod. And all the record company people were just staring at me like I was an insectoid from Mars. And so that was it for us for that trip to America."

O Zambezi was released just before Dragon's ill-fated tour of the United States in 1978. From start to finish this album is a catchy capsule of late seventies rock. The album only peaked at 17 in Dragon's native New Zealand but in Australia it was a much different story as the album shot all the way up to #3 largely on the strength of the #1 hit single Are You Old Enough? and the catchy Still In Love With You. To this day, O Zambezi remains Dragon's highest charting album and largely on the strength of their catalog from this era of the band, Dragon was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2008.

If you're new to Dragon O Zambezi is an excellent album to start with as it's a snapshot in time of the band at the pinnacle of their success when they were firing on all cylinders making infectious uptempo pop music.

On a sad footnote keyboardist Paul Hewson died of a drug overdose on January 9, 1985 and the excesses of the rock and roll lifestyle also caught up with vocalist Marc Hunter. He was forced to retire from performing when he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1997. Unfortunately, he inevitably succumbed to cancer on July 17, 1998.

Related Links
Are You Old Enough (music video)

Still In Love With You music video

Dragon (Fan Site)
Dragon (AllMusicGuide)
Dragon (wikipedia)
Take Me To the April Sun In Cuba (excellent article by Chuck Miller)
Todd Hunter (wikipedia)
Marc Hunter (wikipedia)
Kerry Jacobson (wikipedia)

Little River Band - The Net (1983)

Following the departure of Glenn Shorrock, Little River Band embarked on a 3 album experiment featuring John Farnham on lead vocals.

Farnham was and is a better singer than Shorrock. Unfortunately this set Farnham apart from his bandmates. Where Shorrock's voice blended nicely with Graham Goble & Beeb Birtles Farnham's voice being so much stronger stuck out like a sore thumb.

On its own merits The Net is not a bad album. It certainly has its moments. Farnham is an exceptional vocalist, the tight harmonies were still there. But the laidback country-rock vibe that had made them so popular in the late 70s was replaced with a more electric and polished pop-friendly sound.

The album starts with a bang on the horn-laden You're Driving Me Out of My Mind which would not have sounded out of place on a Chicago album. The album charges ahead on the passionate and empowered We Two that really shows off Farnham's vocal range. It was almost as if the rest of the band thought, "look at our new toy, check this out!"

While all 3 of the LRB albums with Farnham make LRB sound more like Farnham's backing band than the much more cohesive unit they'd sounded with Shorrock handling the lead vocals, the disparity is particularly noticeable on The Net.

The trademark tight vocal harmonies still make ocassional appearances on songs like Mr. Socialite and Down On the Border but even then they sound as if they exist more to prop up Farnham's vocals than a tight cohesive unit unto themselves.

Generally, this album is more for the die-hard fans of Little River Band, although casual fans of Farnham's solo work would likely also enjoy this release.

Related Links
John Farnham (official site)
John Farnham (wikipedia entry)
Beeb Birtles (official site)
Beeb Birtles (wikipedia)
Graeham Goble (official site)
Graeham Goble (wikipedia)
Wayne Nelson (wikipedia)
Other Little River Band/John Farnham related reviews on The Review Revue

Little River Band - Time Exposure (1981)

My road to discovering Little River Band was a rather unusual and somewhat circuitous one involving a cop in Boston who shared many of the same musical tastes that I had. In one of our many email exchanges he recommended that I check out Australian vocalist, John Farnham and his work with Little River Band. I didn't act on his recommendation initially. But I tucked away his advice in the cobwebby filing cabinet of my mind.

A year or so later, I finally got around to picking up their greatest hits album. Other than It's a Long Way There, Night Owls, and Lady it didn't really grab me at first. But I listened to that CD again and again. Eventually I was hooked.

I've often thought of Little River Band as an Australian answer to the Eagles. Their country-rock stylings and tight vocal harmonies bore more than a passing resemblence to their more successful American counterparts.

That being said, Little River Band, were an excellent band in their own right. They spawned a string of hits including It's a Long Way There, Happy Anniversary (peaked @ #16 in 1977), Help Is On Its Way (peaked @ #14 in 1977), Lady (peaked @ #10 in 1979), Cool Change (peaked @ #10 in 1979), and Reminiscing (peaked @ #3 in 1978) which even John Lennon commented was one of his favorites.

Time Exposure was the last album recorded with lead singer Glenn Shorrock before he was replaced with John Farnham. Incidentally, Shorrock would later return and record a few more albums with LRB. But Time Exposure marks the end of an era.

The album opens with the Wayne Nelson sung Night Owls (peaked @ #6 in 1981) and follows with two more hit singles-- Man On Your Mind (peaked @ #14 in 1982), and Take It Easy On Me (peaked @ #10 in 1981). And while none of the other songs on the album were released as singles, many of them including Full Circle and Just Say That You Love Me easily could have been released as singles. In addition to Shorrock's lead vocals the vocal tandem of David Briggs, Beeb Birtles, and Graeham Goble provide harmonies so tight they sing as one. Where the Eagles were likely better musicians, I'd argue that Little River Band's vocal harmonies were superior to those of the Eagles. There was a tightness, a cohesiveness that was pure vocal magic.

What likely prevented this album from matching the success of the 2 previous LRB albums (1978's Sleeper Catcher and 1979's First Under the Wire both went platinum) was the disparity between the stronger and weaker songs on this album. While the strong material is as good as their best tracks on their previous albums, their weaker material on Time Exposure feels uninspired and some might argue "phoned in."

Over twenty-five years after its release, the stronger material still holds up as well as any of Little River Band's other material (not to mention their better material holds up as well as some of the better material of the Eagles as well). The weaker material sounds sadly dated.

A 1996 re-issue featured the John Farnham sung The Other Guy (peaked @ #11 in 1982) as a bonus track. An enjoyable yet curious inclusion considering that song was recorded after Time Exposure was released.

All in all, while not essential this album is certainly a worthy inclusion into any classic rock collection. If you're new to Little River Band, I'd start with either their greatest hits album, Sleeper Catcher or First Under the Wire before picking up Time Exposure.

Related Links

The Night Owls

Man On Your Mind

Take It Easy On Me

The Other Guy (live 1983)

Little River Band (official site)*

Birtles Shorrock Goble (official site)*
Little River Band (wikipedia)
Birtles Shorrock Goble (wikipedia)
Time Exposure (wikipedia)
Glenn Shorrock (wikipedia)
Beeb Birtles (official site)
Beeb Birtles (wikipedia)
Graeham Goble (official site)
Graeham Goble (wikipedia)
Wayne Nelson (wikipedia)
David Briggs (wikipedia)**
John Farnham (official site)***
John Farnham (wikipedia entry)***
Other Little River Band related reviews on The Review Revue

*The founding members of Little River Band lost the rights to use the Little River Band name. The current band is comprised of no original members. As a result Beeb Birtles, Glenn Shorrock, and Graeham Goble briefly toured as Birtles Shorrock Goble from 2006 to 2008.

**While Beeb Birtles, Glenn Shorrock, and Graeham Goble are barred from discussing their time in Little River Band, apparently David Briggs is not. He recently wrote The Diary of the Loneseome Loser about his time in the band (1976-1981).

***I only included the Farnham links due to the inclusion of The Other Guy on the 1996 CD release of this album. Farnham was not in the band at the time of the recording or release of Time Exposure.