by Peter Dawson

Created on: September 18, 2007

Review of brand new album SunDirtWater by Aussie band The Waifs. Recorded in Nashville, USA and featuring some of the strongest songwriting talent and musical expertise Australia has to offer!

THE WAIFS
SunDirtWater
Jarrah Records

Definitely one of my favourite Aussie bands, The Waifs have been in hiatus of late, but this week their new album is launched. Having made a name for themselves on the festival circuit here and abroad, their ARIA award-winning 2003 release Up All Night' reached triple platinum status. The debut self-titled CD and other early albums Shelter Me' and Sink or Swim' were expressions of youngsters on the road having fun and experiencing independent life for the first time, busking in the streets and playing gigs in remote corners. This offering is more serious, world-weary, definitely grownup stuff!

Leading off with pony' the Blues infusion is strong, Donna Simpson's smoky voice lifts over Joshua Cunningham's growling guitar licks and Vickie Thorn's harmonica just howls with passion. Rhythm section of David Ross Macdonald and Ben Franz hold down the beat with perfection. Title song sundirtwater' is set to be a classic, its rolling pulse and singing guitar is finely crafted. Vickie's lyrics and vocal are a tale of "sweet everlasting love". Prolific songwriter Cunningham is definitely one of our best guitarists, and it is evident again on the moody vermillion'.
Slide- guitar features in the Country-Rocker how many miles', but without you' is more like The Waifs of old with its mellow folksiness. More Blues on sad sailor song' though get me some' gets the Jazz treatment. Lackadaisical eternity' is Cunningham's chance to exercise the tonsils. One of several Nashville session-musos, guest organist Reese Wynans lays the bed for the bluest of blue sweetest dream'. Rocking it up again in a Country vein is goodbye', while stay' is more uptempo and quite sentimental 60s style Pop. Second last track love let me down' is the saddest song I've ever heard, with Josh's grungy guitar pouring pathos all over Donna's voice of misery great feel! And in the end feeling sentimental' has a cute ukulele riff with a 40s nostalgia, short and sweet.
In a quip to the crowd on the double live disc A Brief History', Donna says, "(Crazy Train') was written when we were doing American accents." It seems the band is doing it the American way again inevitable, I suppose, due to the amount of time spent in that much larger and more exciting scene. Hopefully Oz has not lost these wonderful songwriters and performers, like so many before them! They are our living treasures!

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