Category: Album Reviews

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

"No Man’s Woman" – Various Artists

Some say the concept album is dead, but don’t tell that to the folks behind No Man’s Woman. The album features some of Australia’s finest male artists covering songs made famous by iconic female figures.

The results are surprising. I would never have expected some of the song choices, like Josh Pyke’s Kate Bush cover, or The Vines’ reinterpretation of The Veronicas. Some of the artists are faithful to the originals, while others opt for dramatic reworkings. Despite these different approaches, all the musicians involved ultimately show a respect for the original artists.

Now I’ve had the disc for a while I find myself repeating Lior’s glorious cover of “Landslide,” Angus Stone’s poignant version of Joni Mitchell’s “River,” and Dan Kelly’s ukelele-driven interpretation of “Nothing Compares 2 U.” But I still can’t warm to Tex Perkins’ menacing “I Am Woman,” or The Vines’ dirge-like “4Ever.” Many of the tracks won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but that’s part of the joy of an album like this. There’s enough diversity here to keep everyone satisfied.

No Man’s Woman is currently available with a limited edition bonus disc, featuring nine of the original songs (or technically eight and Sinead O’Connor’s version of “Nothing Compares 2 U”). It’s a great reference, giving listeners the opportunity to see where these new interpretations came from.

Image source: No Man’s Woman MySpace

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Ripe” – Ben Lee

Ben Lee has released the feel-good album of the year. The appropriately titled Ripe is a mature effort, bursting with happiness and good vibes.

A more cynical critic may argue that this disc is weaker for its lack of angst, but such positivity is refreshing and very easy to listen to. These critics tend to equate negativity with depth, but to dismiss Ben Lee’s newie is to miss the album’s subtleties.

He’s a very clever lyricist, and this prevents the album’s love songs from drowning in a sea of frothiness and fluff. The quirky phrases are modern and intensely believable. The single “Love Me Like the World Is Ending” is a great indication of the original romantic tunes contained on the disc. The 50s-inspired duet with Mandy Moore, “Birds and Bees,” is also really sweet.

But it’s not all about love. Lust gets a run too in the brutally honest “Sex Without Love.” Ben’s ode to an American urban megastar, “What Would Jay-Z Do?” is surprisingly more convincing than it sounds.

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Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Where We Land” – Damien Leith

Damien Leith’s Australian Idol win ushered in a new era for the reality TV show. For the first time, the victor wasn’t shoved into a recording studio to record a prewritten album in a week. Instead, Damien was given the freedom to create a collection of songs that represented him. Some nine months after he took the Idol crown, Damien’s album Where We Land is in stores and sitting pretty at the top of the charts.

So in sales terms, Sony’s gamble has paid off. Australia hasn’t forgotten about Damien. Instead, they were eagerly awaiting this release. I’m happy to say, the wait was worthwhile.

I wasn’t Damien’s biggest fan during his Idol stint. I certainly didn’t dislike the guy, but I preferred eclectic Bobby Flynn and old-school rocker Chris Murphy. But I really like this record. It’s given Damien a chance to be himself, rather than a karaoke singer, and he’s a richer artist for it.

Time away from the Idol spotlight has given Damien a chance to grow, both professionally and personally. His trademark falsetto is as pure as ever, but he’s managed to reign it in somewhat. Perhaps on Idol Damien felt he needed to rely on those vocal tricks. Now he can focus on crafting tender lyrics and clever melodies.

His personal life has certainly given him fuel for that. After the birth of his second son Jagger, Damien penned the sweet tune “Not Just For the Weekend.” “Beautiful” is a tender ode to his wife. I loved the gentle sadness of “I Still Miss Us,” and “Cold Cold Heart” is rollicking good fun.

Damien made his name from cover versions, and fans will appreciate the ones he’s chosen here. The sparse rendering of Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird” is breathtaking, and the album’s bonus track “Danny Boy” is a fitting nod to his Irish heritage.

Where We Land is a great indication of the potential of Australia’s revamped Idol franchise. If we can unearth this country’s hidden stars, and give them the time to develop albums of this calibre, the future of our local industry looks bright.

Images: Wikimedia and Wikimedia Commons credit: Spud Murphy

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Skin” – Katie Noonan

Katie Noonan’s solo release, Skin, has taken up permanent residence in my stereo. The voice behind supergroup George has produced an album of infectious joy that gets richer with every listen.

It’s been five years since George released their landmark album, Polyserena. A lot has changed for Katie Noonan in that time. Many performers seem to lose their passion once spouses and children enter the picture, but the opposite seems true here. It’s allowed Katie to create songs that are intensely personal, but instantly accessible.

Love is the dominant theme underpinning all the album’s tracks. Not the clichéd love we’ve all heard about a thousand times before, but an emotion that’s deeply personal. Even when romantic love is explored, as in “Logic,” “Love’s My Song For You,” and “Home,” it’s approached with individuality and honesty.

But Katie knows there’s more than romantic love in this world, and Skin examines that too. “Little Boy Man” is a tender expression of love for her son, while the jazzy single “Time To Begin” celebrates love of self.

Continue reading ““Skin” – Katie Noonan” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Slideshows” – Thirsty Merc

Since I bought tickets to see Thirsty Merc in a couple of weeks, I figured it was about time I picked up a copy of Slideshows. As I listened to the opening track’s crunchy guitar chords and clever lyrics I wondered why it took me so long.

The opening ditty, “She’s All I Got” is a corker, with straight-up riffs and a sing-along chorus. It’s backed up by the anthemic radio hit “20 Good Reasons” and new single “The Hard Way.”

There’s a reason why radio loves these guys. They’re genuinely good fun, with cleverly crafted melodies and quirky lyrics. They’ve also become a very safe band, seemingly unwilling to take risks.

That’s not exactly a bad thing, but it does make some of the later album tracks, including “Hey Jacinta” and “She’s My Brother” feel a little tired.

While their self-titled debut showed plenty of cheek in “Emancipate Myself” and “I Wish Somebody Would Build a Bridge,” Slideshows presents none of this naughtiness. It’s a shame.

Slideshows feels like a natural progression for Thirsty Merc. It’s not likely to win them any new fans, but there’s certainly enough here to entertain the ones they have.

For me, it doesn’t have quite the same spark as their first disc, but it’s still a whole lot of fun.

Image source: BigPond Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

"Nine Lime Avenue" – Kate Ceberano

I have a confession to make: I love the 1980s. It’s not the coolest thing for a music blogger to admit, but the frivolity and fun of the decade that fashion forgot always makes me smile. And so I had high expectations for Kate Ceberano‘s latest release, Nine Lime Avenue.

The album showcases Kate’s favourite tunes of the era, a time when she was growing up in Victoria’s Lime Avenue and dreaming of becoming a star.

She is one of Australia’s musical treasures, and her voice on this record is as strong and rich as ever. She brings the right amount of tenderness to “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” Her take on The Pretenders’ “Brass In Pocket” is suitably sassy.

However, many tracks suffer from dramatic reworkings which seem to sap the fun from them. “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me” and “It Must Be Love” lose their bounce and playfulness, instead becoming laboured ballads. An easy listening take on Prince’s “Raspberry Beret” seems equally sacrilegious.

For a disc that stemmed from such fond memories of childhood, it’s disappointing that Nine Lime Avenue fails to inspire the same nostalgia in its listeners.

Image source: Kate Ceberano website

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Time On Earth” – Crowded House

The release of Crowded House’s latest album was always going to create a buzz. Time On Earth is their first since the band split in 1996, and their first without their late drummer Paul Hester. However, the album itself is a rather subdued affair, removed from the hype its release brings with it.

All the classic Crowded House elements are here. The melodies are flawless and the arrangements superb. The upbeat “She Called Up” and cruisy first single “Don’t Stop Now” are highlights.

Yet, as the album progresses it starts to fade further and further into the background. “People are Like Suns,” “Walked Her Way Down” and “English Trees” are pleasant and unobtrusive, but far from groundbreaking.

For that reason, Time on Earth isn’t an altogether triumphant return for one of Australia’s most loved bands. However, there’s certainly enough here for us to be glad that Crowded House is back.

Crowded House is NineMSN Music’s current featured artist, allowing fans to listen to Time On Earth for free. Click the link to hear Crowded House’s latest offering.

Image source: Wikimedia; feature image by Mick Muise – originally posted to Flickr as 100_6063, CC BY 2.0