The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 48

10 Thursday 12 November 1987 substsaGe i OME music defies: definition. Its cre- IT IS always a treat to come across the fine I tiwtiotes musicianship of John and Genni Kane ators -inhabit souodscapes which stretch into the realms of folk, jazz and New Age, and the rest of the Flying Emus: live or on record, you never go away disappointed. Just like their support performances for Suzanne Vega during her September, appearances at the Dallas Brooks Halt the Flying Emus'- latest vinyl offering This Tawo (Infinity L3881S, through Festival) will leave the fans feeling happy and satisfied, even though thisime the-happy sounds dis- guise some serious subjects, like; heroin and farmers being forced off tbeir land. Apart from the Kane gang (brother and sister John and Genni who, between them, -write most of the material and provide guitar and vocals respectively), the Flying Emus consist of Michael JCerin on fiddle and vocals and Ian Simpson on banjo and guitars. But called in for support are people like pro-.

ducer MarkMoffatt on electric guitar, drum- mer Ricky Fataar, Lucky. Oceans on dobro -and pedal steel; Sam McNally oh keyboards (occasionally) and several others. VVT- Add the fact that Genni Kane's voice is gaining in stature with each outing, and the result is a happy, toe-tapping sort of sound which belles the subjects tackled. The first single from This Towa is toe -happy-go-lucky rat la Love- With SLevifr: ships of being a farmer on the Western Plains of NSW. And all of this is backed up by some top-' class instrumental work, notably by Kerin on fiddle and Simpson on banjo.

Who says emus can't fly? These certainly CAN IT really be more than four years since former- New Zealander Sharon O'Neill came up such a treat on Foreign Affairs, the album that produced hits like Maxiae and Losing Yon? It is, and perhaps she shouldn't have waited so long: -her new album, Oaoclng la The Fire (Polydor 833557) hasn't the same appeaUts predecessor had; It is, I'm afraid, another case of electronic overkill, with most of the arrangements sounding disturbingly similar. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that O'Neill, an accomplished keyboards player, has little Instrumental Input mis time. Alternatively, we might be able to put the blame on the production, much of which The Melbourne group Not Drowning, Wav- tag's The Cold And The Crackle (Rampant RR040), recorded in the Great Hall at Mont- salvat, is at times haunting and reflective, at others pulsating with percussive rhythms. Some tracks are instrumental, some have words, some wordless voices. One constant is the use of taped background sounds (and striking videos in concert).

On Yes Sir, I Can Boogie, the insistent tablas of James Southall and percussion of Russell Bradley beat out a raga rhythm over which is layered piano and voice (David Bridie), guitars (John Phillips), bass (Rowan McKinnon and the mandolin of Andrew Carswell. The opening tape of voices from Chloe's bar at Young Jackson's Hotel is provided by Bridie and sound engineer Tim Cole. Elements of and oriental music are all here take your pick. The. title track is an echoing, enigmatic depiction -of individual identity overwhelmed by the vasmess of the country.

But the suburban protagonists ot The Marriage Is Over are engulfed by their own sense of helplessness starkly underscored by There-; sa Blake's anguished cello which echoes Bridie's sad lyrics and- pianos Robby Douglas-Turner's wild monologue on Little King Is. accompanied: by an equally exhilarating instrumental arrangement Slag Slag, a drum-dominated elaboration of a track the group released on an album -last year, is based on Papua New Guineas sounds and rhythms in-1985; the band explored the Australian landscape in The Little Desert; now they have moved to the tropical rainforests and islands of our northern Those sounds also imbue Clay with a rich sense of mystery, but my favorite, emphaU-, cally back in the Australian is Bridie's warmly affectionate portrait of an old woman "a nutty fruitcake happy as can be" with evocative keyboards, bass and mandolin. CATHIE O'SULLIVAN's high, breathy -soprano, lilting Celtic (steel-strung) harp and piano are the nucleus of the --contemporary quintet Summerhaze also the title of their debut album. (Larrikin LRFI83). Otherinstrumeats include electric wnicn, msed as it is on observations of the mating game at a Mt lsa disco, is one of the happier songs and got a good reception when stems England, via-Peter Walsh and Jbhn Brandt who normally handle acts such -as Aztec Camera and Kissing The Pink.

viola, violin, alto sax, flute, percussion and double bass. O'SulIivan's music springs from a folk base but embraces classical, rock and jazz influences. It is set to her own lyrics as well as the poetry of John Shaw Neilson, America's Gary Snyder and New Zealand's Bill Manhlre. Highlights include Lovlag One, a vocal-duet with percussionist Greg Sheehan featuring Jim Denley's high, keening sax, and the interwoven instruments and voices on the jazzy reel, Soaay. The group performed here at this year's Spoleto Fringe festival and will soon release a new album.

ENYA Ni Braonain (Eithne Brennan) had a brief career with the Irish contemporary folk group Clannad in the early '80s. She left because she felt treated like a kid sister by her brothers Paul and Ciaran, sister Maire and uncles Padralg and Noel Duggan. She also felt restricted by the music's folk Since then, Clannad has expanded its sound, blending synthesisers, vocal harmonies, guitars and traditional instruments. And that happens; ironically, to be an accu--- rate description of the music on Eaya (BBC REB605. through PolyGram).

Her first album, it is a selection of music from The Celts, a BBC-TV series yet to be screened here. Enya sings all the vocal tracks and plays a battery of keyboards, 'backed by Arty McGlynn (electric guitar), Liam Og O'Floinn (uiUean pipes) and Patrick Hailing (violin). Despite her protestations, the music has that distinctive Clannad flavor: echoing, shimmering voices and instrumentals. The influences are classical and folk a beauti-i fuL melodic example of New Age music, or i perhaps New Highlights are the stately song, I Want Tomorrow, the genUy rocking The Celts (marching with an Irish lilt), the sweet pipes on The Sua Ia The Stream and delicate voices and strings on the hymn-like To Go Beyond (II). airea on Hey Hey a couple of months ago.

But much more substantial te the striking and scary Hey Slsterrthe stoiy bi a young woman being wasted awayby heraew lov- heroin. It Is a difficult wbJectreU lunv died without going over? the top. Gaut-Kane's strong voals are well supported by Moffatt's eloquent electric: gutiarw jtv On Aactioaeer, the story of a tanner forced off the land by the bank foreclosing something neither flood nor drought man-i aged in 70 years Gennl's sweet vocals irs jtrooaoiy. not entirely coincidental that, on going: back through my notes, my three most preferred tracks were amongthe tour handled In Sydney by Alaa who also ce-wrotehree tracks with OTJeili. BiTheLPJs opening track; Physical Fa is also its first single.

anfcr apart from; Jon--Farriss's intrusive drumming, it's boppy and commercial and! features the fine guitar of Tommy Emmanuel. ir TUrat Far Love is another that appeals, brightened as It is by Mansfield with a nice touch of hammond orean and striate aery ine narsn realities. And usten for me taut a cappella four-part harmdajNhbac and Close tne song. Mark Williams. Those three aisacontribute uaruag street, despite thevobJect's heavily to the IP's best song, the title track, heavy heart, finds optimism in the dawn ott the arrangement of which isaftogether more Balmain main street, CreeeaHe Water imaginative than "anything else.

-draws aa amusing parallel betweea theahiS Q-NeiU has Included, as the last track, a gers of the reptile and its human jsquiyatent 'song she calls. Ia Control; unfortunately we (There a hungry crocodile in every draiki.Stt know it already as the main theme of the aig hole Waiting for a choice just to map ABCs musical series Sweet And Soar and, you up whole), the title track is all about- 'seeing that the original (also featuring growing up in a town like Nem) was much better, it's hard to under Ifa A Saabarat Country tells of the hardtand-way she bothered. (Km si. The most -diverse Mtte independent -man) outlet norm of trie dtyjmsentSi the Jhroir Aj)r Yout ftrty. Needle Mcnirt Throughout ttxrembef when you buy any Goldring teptaxernent stylus feel -tree to ask lor a $2 discount on any full oriced LP.

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