Dan Brodie
and the Broken Arrows - Empty Arms And Broken Hearts (EMI)
For
all their rock and roll bluster Dan Brodie's songs are also self-confessional.
The first album's songs were largely born out of Dan Brodie dealing
with the death of his mother. The first song from this new album
gives us the bridge between that album and this. The opening lines
of "Jesus Try And Save Me" give us a quick look at the Brodie family's
situation, Mum gone, Dad remarried, the boys playing music, Dan's
sister telling him not worry. In the end it's just a good song,
but it should tell us that Dan Brodie and his brother Chris pour
their souls into their music. Those moments of self-revelation are
rare. Dan Brodie is not someone who wants to cry on your shoulder.
His songs mainly talk about romance, playing music, and trying to
have a good time. The music wants to lift him and us above the pain.
To do that Dan and guitar playing brother Chris generally reach
back to the netherland between rock and roll and country, and because
they mean every word and every note they never sound retro or a
parody. Coming from Dan Brodie and the Broken Arrows this music
is as real as it's ever been, rediscovering that edge of toughness
and in-your-face engagement. And sprinkled in amongst the good-time-at
all cost and the boys talk are the moments of vulnerability - like
'Too Much Of You In My Head', a tired whispered vocal in a vacuum
of accompaniment filled by a sad piano. Or on the romantic closing
track 'For Me And You' where Dan is joined on vocals by Emah Fox
the assistant to the assistant engineer for one of the three album
tracks written with country/rock singer Sherry Rich. He's more comfortable
with the rockin' stuff. Dan Brodie the Broken Arrows add to the
Australian music traditions embraced by Daddy Cool, the Sunnyboys,
Beasts Of Bourbon and Paul Kelly, with a touch of Nick Cave.
For
all their rock and roll bluster Dan Brodie's songs are also self-confessional.
The first album's songs were largely born out of Dan Brodie dealing
with the death of his mother. The first song from this new album
gives us the bridge between that album and this. The opening lines
of "Jesus Try And Save Me" give us a quick look at the Brodie family's
situation, Mum gone, Dad remarried, the boys playing music, Dan's
sister telling him not worry. In the end it's just a good song,
but it should tell us that Dan Brodie and his brother Chris pour
their souls into their music. Those moments of self-revelation are
rare. Dan Brodie is not someone who wants to cry on your shoulder.
His songs mainly talk about romance, playing music, and trying to
have a good time. The music wants to lift him and us above the pain.
To do that Dan and guitar playing brother Chris generally reach
back to the netherland between rock and roll and country, and because
they mean every word and every note they never sound retro or a
parody. Coming from Dan Brodie and the Broken Arrows this music
is as real as it's ever been, rediscovering that edge of toughness
and in-your-face engagement. And sprinkled in amongst the good-time-at
all cost and the boys talk are the moments of vulnerability - like
'Too Much Of You In My Head', a tired whispered vocal in a vacuum
of accompaniment filled by a sad piano. Or on the romantic closing
track 'For Me And You' where Dan is joined on vocals by Emah Fox
the assistant to the assistant engineer for one of the three album
tracks written with country/rock singer Sherry Rich. He's more comfortable
with the rockin' stuff. Dan Brodie the Broken Arrows add to the
Australian music traditions embraced by Daddy Cool, the Sunnyboys,
Beasts Of Bourbon and Paul Kelly, with a touch of Nick Cave.