Little Cloudby The Whitlams

The Whitlams have been one of the most consistently powerful Australian bands in the past decade or so. Coming out some 3 years after Torch the moon, Tim Freedman and his band have produced yet another solid release. The one odd thing about this album however is the fact that it’s a double album yet both discs contain 8 songs and go for less than 30 minutes, so it could have easily fitted onto the one CD. Still in total there is more than enough for it to stand up as a long player.

The album opens with Away too long, a massive contrast to the Whitlams past music, using the guitar much more and the signature Tim Freedman piano nowhere to be seen. All the white horses sees the piano return, there is also a solid rocking guitar and some strong drumbeats. I was alive continues in the rock vibe with the opening riff sounding like something off an ACDC record, as it continues it becomes more of a fast jazzy track. Year of the Rat is another speeding track reminiscent of the Whitlams of old before the Eternal Nightcap days and ends with a massive piano solo. Keep the light on suddenly drops the mood, with the music striped back to just Tim’s piano while his vocals sound a lot colder. 12 hours sees Tim get even colder, doing the whole song himself with the piano he produces a sense of emptiness that works well. The first disc closes with the laid back title track.

Disc two opens with the songs Beauty in me, Fondness makes the heart grow absent and Beautiful as you. All of which are very upbeat and present a lively colourful feel. Stay with me is a fast tempo bluesy track that produces an image of a New York Bar late at night. She’s moving in is something of a novelty song using a mash of obscure instruments and sound effects. The CD then closes with a live version of The Curse Stops here. This would have to be the saddest song in the Whitlams’ back catalogue, the power and beauty of this piece is totally astonishing, to the point that the previous 15 songs end up sounding average in compassion!

This is yet another solid release from the Whitlams. There is a good mix of new ideas that they manage to pull off well and songs that possess the Whitlams style that fans know and love. It doesn’t have the same power that Eternal Nightcap had but it is nevertheless a great album that that should be well received by the Whitlams’ followers.