Disappointing second album from former INXS legend-turned country strummer.
Best known as the keyboard player for INXS, Andrew Fariss has been quietly carving out an Australiana solo career away from the spotlight and the stadiums played by his previous band. Stepping to the front of the stage with a guitar, Farriss is now responsible for his own sound, and sports a natty line in very large cowboy hats of a particularly phallic design.
As the writer of many of the INXS mega hits from the 80s and 90s, songwriting has long been part of his oeuvre. However stepping out as the frontman is another thing altogether. Let’s just say the band would have sounded very different with Fariss up top rather than Michael Hutchence.
Opening with the softly brushed Gold Rush to Ghost Town, the tone for the first part of the album at least, is set. Firmly in storytelling country, the tale is clear from the title. Southern Cross Shines follows, close to spaghetti-western sounds, although sadly lacking in bite.
Fafriss’ vocals are, it is fair to say, part of the problem. It’s hard to imagine a voice conveying less emotion while he part-murmurs, part-drones through these songs. Without much dynamics behind him, the voice is front and centre and it’s, well, quite underwhelming. You would have thought he might have picked up a bit more from his previous life.
Apparently the record “explores themes of live, truth, connection and purpose”. This sort of vague description sums up the whole album. Lead single Rolling Home slightly quickens the pace but doesn’t open its heart beyond banalities; “Looking round these four walls it’s finally sinking in / Sometimes the best place is the home where you live in”. Sorry, you’ve got to do a bit better than that.
Weirdly, after drifting most of the way through the album, it suddenly gets a bit more interesting toward the end. “Truth or Consequence” finds a heartbeat from somewhere, despite some truly appalling lyrics: “Hey Jimmy, where you headed tonight. You said ‘I’m gonna see my girl / I’m gonna make things right’ / And I said ‘That same girl you’ve hanging around / The other side of this crazy town’”. However, the harmonica and gospel backing implies that there might be something somewhere that might be worthwhile.
Apparently the album is a collaboration with numerous Nashville songwriters. Honestly, he would better off going out into the bush and writing something from the heart. Disappointing.
