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Review: Heather Metherell
DEL Amitri are back, but this time they are calling themselves
The Forresters. Not really, but with their happy, country-inspired
sound this Australian group sound uncannily like a tribute band
to the Scottish rockers.
This album highlights the different musical tastes that our antipodean
cousins have to us.
Country music has a firm place in the hearts of many Australians
(maybe something to do with the American-style ranch culture of
the Outback) and has influenced many artists over there.
This debut is full of feelgood tracks (none of which are particularly
original) that will no doubt appeal to fans of country/folk rock.
But, on the whole, it just feels a bit old hat, and you could
imagine your parents having a good old boogie to it.
It smacks of those dusty tapes of long forgotten ‘rock and
roll’ hits that you find in roadside service stations.
What You Want is a sweet love song, with some lazy Burt
Bacharach style horns floating over the melody. And the opening
track, Are You Ready, sounds like a lot like Summer (and
Del Amitri) and will have your toes tapping away.
However, in Britain we seem to prefer the camp side of country
music, like Dolly Parton and Shania Twain, and this may just be
a little too serious and sentimental to gain any significant popularity.
Keep it handy if you’re planning on becoming a Truckie,
or you’re going on any long-distance journeys. Who knows,
it might even be a nice stocking filler for your parents at Christmas.
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