STACK February 2017 Issue 148

82 / 95

Freya Josephine Hillock
The Unceremonious Junking Of Me
Ballarat’s Freya Josephine Hollick could be
describing her own voice in the opening cut on her
second album: “As pure as driven snow, as sweet
as honeydew, as high as a soaring eagle, as deep
as the blackest ocean.” This is an album of glorious
simplicity – no easy thing to pull off. Recorded by
Myles Mumford live at Ballarat’s Main Bar, there are no tricks or gimmicks
on show. With wonderful economy of language and playing, Hollick’s
voice and guitar are augmented only by Kat Mear’s violin and Pete Fidler’s
Dobro and mandolin. Hollick is a young woman with an old soul, singing
traditional bluegrass and country “with all sweetness of time gone”.
“Sing them a saccharine tune,” she states, though she never descends
to sugary schmaltz. Elsewhere, she ponders: “Why does a sweet girl
turn to a life of sin?” Water is a recurring motif, with Hollick singing of
its redemptive powers as well as the potential dangers lurking within. “A
man is the water,” she sings, “coursin’ down the stream.” Love and loss,
sweetness and sin... The Unceremonious Junking Of Me has it all.
(Heart OfThe Rat Records) Jeff Jenkins
Cloud Nothings
Life Without Sound
Sometimes, when you polish a
rough rock for long enough, you
will discover it was a diamond all
along. On their fourth album, Cloud
Nothings have delivered a mature,
solid evolution; when the Cleveland
trio emerged with the lo-fi buzz of
2012’s sophomore effort Attack On
Memory, there was the ambition
(and potential) to be more – frontman
Dylan Baldi certainly thought so. With
Life Without Sound Baldi’s vision
for more substantial, guitar-driven
rock is almost complete. While the
scornfully brash Strange Year and
Sight Unseen will appease traditional
Cloud Nothings fans, the remainder
of the album is far more polished.
Enter Entirely and Internal World
shine brighter than others although
themes of liberation and catchy
hooks are littered throughout. Look at
that, you’ve found yourself a gem.
(Inertia)Tim Lambert
Ryan Adams Prisoner
Prisoner, Ryan Adams' 17th studio
album, is a map for anyone who
is lost or broken. Divorces are
tough, right? Moreso, in the public
eye? With Mandy Moore? These
events left the prolific artist with
not much more than his music to
turn to. The result: 12 tracks about
loss, forgiveness, redemption
and self-discovery. The track titles
imply a darker tone than the album
actually produces; Tightrope is a
stripped-back affair with a smooth
sax solo, Do You Still Love Me? will
be the breakup song of the year,
title track Prisoner will resonate
long after your first listen, and the
harmonica peppered throughout
is perfectly placed for reflection.
Adams never misses the mark –
on this or any other album.
(EMI)Tim Lambert
Carus Thompson
Island
Carus Thompson’s sixth album
– his first in six years – opens
with a tribute to Bon Scott. “You
were always gonna crash land,”
Thompson sings. “Gonna sing in a
rock ’n’ roll band, livin’ hard, crowd
in your hand.” Thompson doesn’t
possess Scott’s cheekiness or
knack for ribald rhymes, but he
does know how to tell a distinctly
Australian story with evocative
images. First single Beach
Fires vividly brings to life the
ice epidemic ravaging regional
areas. Thompson recalls watching
“friends’ faces in the flicking of
beach fires”, but now sees only
“strangers and dead eyes”. This is
quality songwriting.
(MGM) Jeff Jenkins
18 FEBRUARY 2017
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Eric Gales
Middle Of The Road
For starters, this is definitely not a
"middle of the road" album.
Eric Gales, who made his
recording debut in 1991 as a
16-year-old, is acknowledged
today as one of the world's
greatest blues/rock guitar players,
evidenced by his outstanding new
album.
Naturally right-handed, Gales
learned his distinctive left-handed,
upside down playing from an early
age in the style of Jimi Hendrix
and Albert King (both of whom are
often referred to on this release).
A powerful and sensitive singer,
Gales isn't afraid to reveal himself
on a number of deeply personal,
reflective songs; on his only cover,
Freddie King's Boogie Man, he's
joined by fellow guitarist Gary
Clark Jr.
(Mascot) Billy Pinnell
Various New Orleans Funk 4:
Voodoo Fire in New Orleans
1951 - 1975
Now in its fourth instalment, Soul
Jazz Records' excursions into the
history of New Orleans funk and
soul continue to unearth rare and
vintage tracks by Crescent City
artists whose rhythms pioneered
the rock and roll revolution. Artists
such as Dave Bartholomew, who
co-wrote and produced more
than forty hits for Fats Domino;
pianist and singer Johnny Adams;
blessed with a multi-octave range;
James Waynes, an inspiration
to The Clash who covered his
Junco Partner; plus Betty Harris,
Norma Jean, Clifton Chenier, and
Eddie Bo. These are just some of
the exponents of the irresistible
sounds of New Orleans music
to be found on this superlative
series.
(Soul Jazz Records) Billy Pinnell
Los Campesinos!
Sick Scenes
Sick Scenes is the sixth album
from this seven-piece out of
Cardiff, Wales. It is self-deprecating
and anxious indie-pop in the
most upbeat way possible. Lead
single I Broke Up In Amarante
perfectly blends frontman Gareth
Paisey’s skeptical outlook and
the band's confident, swaggering
alternative riffs; fellow stand-out
5 Flucloxacillin is, as the name
suggests, an ode to prescription
meds. While much of the record
tells tales of pent-up aggression,
leaving your hometown and social
unease (you know, indie stuff),
the other half is songs about
dealing with mental disease and
alcoholism, backed by one of the
tightest British bands in recent
memory.
(PIAS)Tim Lambert