Don’t shoot The Messenger
The second CD I found this weekend couldn’t have less in common with In My Life.
Jimmy Little’s The Messenger is an album of mostly covers from Australian bands of the 1980’s. While this might have been a recipe for disaster, I like the resulting work. Little cites Jim Reeves and Nat Cole as major influence, and there’s a grace and a sweetness to his style that gives the album a certain gravitas.
The covers range from the straight-up to the slightly quirky. Under The Milky Way has a jazzy feel; The Sunnyboys’ iconic Alone With You becomes a country waltz; Nick Cave’s Are You The One (that I’ve been waiting for) has even more emotion than the original, I think.
The final original (I think?) track Bring Yourself Home To Me is a show-stopper. I’ve sat through so many attempts at pulling heart strings (yes, Paul McDermott, I’m looking at you) and it’s nice to see it done honestly, simply and well.
That’s the overwhelming feeling I get from this album. Little is a man of gentle spirit; a man at peace with himself, and this tranquility flows through the whole work. Obviously, this isn’t an album for everyone or every occasion, but I’m very moved by it.
