STACK #158 Dec 2017

MUSIC REVIEWS

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Machine Translations Oh J. Walker is one of Australia’s most inventive record producers. Having recently made albums with Paul Kelly, Jen Cloher and Jess Ribeiro, he’s returned to his own recording project, delivering his ninth Machine Translations album, and the first in four years. The production is lean, the band (featuring Robin Waters and James O’Brien fromThe Boat People) is loose, and the vibe is lo-fi. It’s as if they’re playing live in your lounge room. Brian Wilson and Beck might be two touchstones, but Walker has got his own thing going on. Beggar In The House Of Love , in particular, is beguilingly beautiful. Oh is a delightful trip. (Spunk) Jeff Jenkins

Jimmy Barnes For The Working Class Man Remastered and re-released to coincide with his new autobiography, this 1985 collection saw Bob Clearmountain rework seven songs from Jimmy Barnes’ solo debut, Bodyswerve , and Barnesy record five new tracks. With songs such as American Heartbeat and references to Elvis and Uncle Sam, Barnesy was clearly striving to crack America, and it remains baffling why it didn’t work (the album peaked at 109 in the US, and Working Class Man stalled at 74 on the singles chart). But it cemented Barnesy’s place at home as a working class hero. And the bonus DVD, Live At The Playroom 1984 , shows him in full flight. (Bloodlines/Mushroom) Jeff Jenkins

Daryl Braithwaite Days Go By Anyone questioning Daryl Braithwaite’s entry into the ARIA Hall of Fame as a solo artist (following Sherbet’s 1990 induction) need only survey the tracklisting of this double-disc compilation. You couldn’t meet a more laidback star than Braithwaite, but this belies a remarkable work ethic; from 1974 to 1979, as Sherbet released 18

singles, Braithwaite issued eight solo singles, including the smash hits You’re My World, Old Sid and Love Has No Pride . A career lull ensued in the ’80s before Braithwaite delivered Edge , a comeback classic to stand alongside Whispering Jack . This career retrospective gathers songs from every Braithwaite album, apart from 1993’s ill-fated Taste The Salt (surely there was room for Barren Ground ?). The five new recordings – including covers of Carole King’s Up On The Roof , Chicago’s If You Leave Me Now and Peter Gabriel’s In Your Eyes – showcase Braithwaite’s brilliant vocals. He wrote some of the songs here, including One Summer and Higher Than Hope , but his real skill is as a song interpreter. If you need any proof, just check out Rickie Lee Jones’ uninspired original version of The Horses . Braithwaite turned it into a classic – an Aussie anthem. Genius. (Sony) Jeff Jenkins

Good Boy Shirk Life EP There are a few red herrings to Good Boy: their age, vocalist Rian King’s splayed Brissie accent, their good-time shorts ‘n’ caps aesthetic, their doggo-referencing band name. But the trio are so instinctively talented in the ways of smart, golden-hearted rock that Shirk Life is an awesome surprise from 'rise to 'set. Each of the guys has powerful, effective ideas for his instrument; if you isolate guitar, drums or bass in your brain you realise they’re all on their own wee journey, but they’re also in total complementary unison. Armed with this killer approach to musicianship and a real gift for capturing ennui and stinging socio- political commentary, Shirk Life is surely just the beginning of what these Very Good Boys are going to achieve. (Barely Dressed/ Remote Control) Zoë Radas

David Gilmour Live At Pompeii This stunning 2CD/DVD release documents David Gilmour's 2016 concert at the Pompeii Amphitheatre, the first public performance at the venue since AD 79 when the gladiators headlined, and forty years after Pink Floyd performed a concert documentary there for no audience beyond the film crew. Selections include songs from Gilmour's current solo album Rattle That Lock and a number of Pink Floyd classics. Gilmour's guitar playing reaches new heights on The Blue – a tribute to his former bandmate Richard Wright – and on Wish You Were Here , traditionally a song about Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett that is now dedicated to Wright as well. (Sony) Billy Pinnell

Various Spawn (Again): A Tribute To Silverchair Since the release of Frogstomp in 1995, Silverchair’s foothold on the Australian music scene has been undeniable. With five chart- topping albums and an endless list of awards, the Newcastle trio were the relatable voice of the youth. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of

the grunge trailblazers' second album Freakshow , Australia’s heaviest independent record label UNFD has gathered some of their best local talent to pay tribute. Tribute albums are always tough – you need to pay respect to the original without losing your own sound – and this 'sweet spot' is harder to hit than it sounds. While all bands featured give an enjoyable (heavier) new angle to the classics, there are a few standouts: In Hearts Wake's homage to grunge anthem Freak still has that lingering creepiness of the original, with the addition of some breakdowns typical of the Byron Bay metalcore lads; Tonight Alive’s rendition of Without You stands out via frontwoman Jenna McDougall’s piercing vocal; and nostalgia peaks in the opening chords of Anthem For The Year 2000 , with Marcus Bridge leading Northlane to a fan favourite chorus with an extra level of angst – which is, it turns out, possible. (UNFD)Tim Lambert

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DECEMBER 2017

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