It must be something in the water. Australian drinking water. Otherwise, how would acclaimed psych, garage, blues, alternative singers like Nick Cave, Mick Harvey or late David McCombs (Triffids main-man) turn into crooners (or almost crooners)?
To confirm the ‘suspicion’ now comes Cameron Avery, formerly of Australian 'psychers', The Pond, and currently also doubling, or shall we say, tripling with garage revivalists The Growl and bass player of even more psychedelic wonders Tame Impala.
You see, his new solo album, “Ripe Dreams, Pipe Dreams”, is something you can dub as “pure croon”, not exactly Sinatra or Dean Martin, but something Scott Walker while with Th Walker Brothers or first few solo albums, or currently Richard Hawley or certain Mr. Stuart Staples of Tindersticks would immensely be proud of. Let alone the above mentioned Australian gentlemen.
Avery’s “new face” (real face?) shown on this album is actually a masterfully sung, played and particularly arranged crooners delight. Modern crooners delight. Like Cave or Staples, Avery also brings to this album quite a lyrical touch, making “Ripe Dreams, Pipe Dreams” a complete package.
This album is a slow evolving cycle that gets better and better as it unwinds. By the “Big Town Girl”, you realize that the vocals and the arrangements do not falter and slowly suck you in into Avery’s lost love song cycle.
The same is true of his lyrics. The last, shall I say, trilogy, “C’est Too”(It's you), the spoken word “Whoever Said Gambling’s For Suckers” and a repeat, longer version of “Ce’st Too” are particularly impressive and accentuate Avery’s main theme: “Everyone had left except for one of the trainersWho'd lost nearly everything on his last dogSo he was drinking like a priest at the raptureStacy was workingShe had just broken up with her boyfriendWho'd skipped town with her car and her life's savings that morningSo she was on edgeIt took nothing more than for me to ask her how she was doingAnd she flippedThat was it”
utters Avery on “Whoever..” and makes you wonder about few things: what musical direction will he try out next and, will they be as good as he has done so far - with The Pond, Tame Impala or his ‘crooning’ self?
