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Review: Jack Foley
TWO of Australia's most established producers, Daniel Johns and
Paul Mac, have united to form The Dissociatives, a slightly quirky
rock-pop act whose debut self-titled album is an unashamedly pleasant
listen.
The duo first met when Paul remixed Freak by Daniel's
band, Silverchair, way back in 1997, but kept collaborating as
Paul worked on both Silverchair's Neon Ballroom and Diorama
albums.
He also guested onstage with the band a couple of times - a creative
experience that saw the guys becoming firm friends.
Once they had eventually decided to collaborate on a joint solo
project, they put out an experimental EP, called I Can't Believe
It's Not Rock, in 2000, and then re-teamed in mid-2003 to
write and record The Dissociatives.
Yet while it seems like a long journey, fans of their work as
Silverchair will not be disappointed.
The Dissociatives is a really pleasant listen, packed
with pop-driven melodies and a happy go lucky style that quickly
becomes infectious.
Try listening to the instrumental Lifting The Veil From The
Braille, for instance, and not whistling along.
Or the wistful ballad, Forever And A Day, which pays
homage to the piano-laced ballad-style of Coldplay.
Horror With The Eyeballs sounds remarkably similar to
the quirky sound (vocally and instrumentally) of Super Furry Animals,
while the up-tempo Thinking in Reverse emerges as a manic
foot-stomper that gets better the more times you listen to it.
Former single, Young Man, Old Man (You Ain't Better Than
the Rest), contains a nice country twang, some typically
laidback vocals from Johns and a school choir late-on, which work
well against the folk guitars.
And the cheery melodies of Somewhere Down The Barrel provide
a retro-throwback and psychedelia-laced memory of ELO at their
most engaging.
All of which makes The Dissociatives an engaging affair
that is perfect for brightening up any dark moods. It's quirky,
feel-good and a worthy showcase of the talents of both of the
artists involved.
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Track listing:
1. We're Much Preferred Customers
2. Somewhere Down the Barrel
3. Horror With Eyeballs
4. Lifting the Veil from the Braille
5. Forever and a Day
6. Thinking in Reverse
7. Paris Circa 2007 Slash 08
8. Young Man, Old Man (You Ain't Better Than the Rest)
9. Aaängry Megaphone Man
10. Sleep Well Tonight
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