STACK #196 Feb 2021

MUSIC REVIEWS

visit stack.com.au

Eva Cassidy Acoustic

Barry Gibb & Friends Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers Songbook Vol. 1 These days, Barry Gibb is a solo performer, who – at every opportunity – acknowledges the impact his Bee Gees brothers Robin and Maurice had on his life and his career. For this release, Barry chose a dozen songs written by the three Gibb brothers to record with a bunch of country/bluegrass artists whose work he admires, sharing timeless hits such as I've Gotta Get a Message To You with Keith Urban, Words with Dolly Parton, Run To Me with Brandi Carlisle, How Deep is Your Love with Little Big Town and Tommy Emmanuel, Too Much Heaven with Alison Krauss, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart with Sheryl Crow, and Jive Talkin with Jay Buchanan and Miranda Lambert. (Universal) Billy Pinnell

Eva Cassidy – one of the world's most loved singers – died in 1996 at the age of 33. Virtually unknown outside her native Washington D.C., her music came to the attention of the masses two years after her death when a selection of demos she'd recorded was released. All the songs were covers; she sang gospel, show tunes, jazz, blues, R&B, and pop, reinventing timeless songs and making them her own. Today Eva is one of the biggest selling female artists across the globe, having had released a number of albums full of songs she loved to sing. I would encourage any young singer to listen closely to Eva's treatment of Time After Time, At Last, Songbird, Autumn Leaves, It Doesn't Matter Anymore , or Danny Boy : no histrionics, just a voice as pure as snow. (Planet/MGM) Billy Pinnell

Kate Ceberano Sweet Inspiration “It’s coming from my heart and not my head...” Kate Ceberano didn’t write those words, and she wasn’t the first to record I Honestly Love You . But that line could have been written for her, as she is such an instinctual singer – when Ceberano sings, nothing sounds forced or contrived. Most covers albums are pointless, showing an artist out of ideas

and playing it safe – a triumph of commercialism over creativity. But the occasional covers collection is something special, providing an insight into an artist’s influences as well as giving new meaning to classic songs. Sure, there are some big hits here, including When I Need You and I Will Always Love You , but there are also lesser-known gems such as Jimmy Webb’s If These Walls Could Speak and Paul Weller’s You Do Something To Me , plus two sparkling originals that sit comfortably alongside the classics. These are soothing songs for the soul, and the perfect album for troubled times – “Everything has changed,” Ceberano notes in an exquisite take on Elbow’s Mirrorball . The record concludes with The Long And Winding Road , a neat summation of Ceberano’s genre-busting career. This is her 28th album (why isn’t she in the ARIA Hall of Fame?) and one of her best. Kate Ceberano is a peerless song interpreter. (Sony) Jeff Jenkins

The Rubens 0202

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound Perth’s Psychedelic Porn Crumpets have been compared to Tame Impala and King Gizzard, which essentially mélange of styles and influences, from stoner rock to classic rock to fuzzy pop – which captures the band’s chaotic live vibe and recalls the glory days of Spiderbait. It’s a big album – 14 tracks – but none of the songs outstays its welcome. At the heart of the record is a glorious nervous energy. “Isn’t life strange, how it starts to make sense,” Jack McEwan sings in the closing cut. “You work it all out then you get old and forget.” The conclusion? “Live while you’re young, enjoy each day.” Mission accomplished. (What Reality? Records) Jeff Jenkins means they defy comparison. SHYGA! , their fourth album, is a marvellous mess – a joyous

The Rubens planned to release their fourth album last year. But then the world changed. “I’m falling through nothing,” Sam Margin sings in standout track Heavy Weather. “I’m losing my time; that darkness is coming.” But The Rubens survived, confident and assured, emerging with a classy collection of tunes that document a topsy-turvy year. Self-produced, the songs have a distinct pop sheen, though the cruisy vibe often belies a darker edge – check out Holiday and Explosions . There’s no doubt 0202 is going to be a big album in Australia in 2021, and here’s hoping The Rubens can generate some overdue international action. “All the world is listening,” Margin sings.

Shame Drunk Tank Pink “Now what you see is what you get...” – album opener/lead single Alphabet sees Charlie Steen speak-singing; James Murphy insouciance meets Iggy Pop effrontery. Deconstructing his usual songwriting approach for Shame’s second LP, guitarist Sean Coyle-Smith experimented with alternative tunings while digesting Talking Heads and ESG. The results? Dense riffs served with extra

metallic crunch. Arrangements are typically ruled by chaos, and percussion clatters down alleys less traversed. Bassist Josh Finerty tweaked this material with Scottish electronic artist Makeness and James Ford, both of whom undoubtedly broadened Shame’s sonic palette. “They say don’t live in the past/ And I don’t/ I live deep within myself” – identity crises recur throughout. Drunk Tank Pink concludes with an aural representation of a panic attack. We prescribe moshpit therapy. (Dead Oceans) Bryget Chrisfield

And The Rubens are ready. (Ivy League) Jeff Jenkins

20 FEBRUARY 2021

jbhifi.com.au