(Perfect Sun/Inertia)

Darkness and light blend in outstanding debut album

Tracey Redhead is an interesting songwriter and performer, already showing us an impressive range of styles on her debut album Walking Home A Different Way. The Perth singer/guitarist (now based in Sydney) blends breezy acoustic tunefulness, moodier synth-shaded pop and gracefully dark rock & roll. There’s melodic pop in Where It Fits and Inkonfident King, brooding rock in Crossroads and the nine-minute Running, as well as an excellent cover of Sebadoh’s Together Or Alone. The way Redhead blends light and darkness so well brings to mind Tanya Donnelly’s more inspired work with Belly, particularly their classic 1993 debut Star. Like Donnelly, Redhead is able to stray between sparkling indie pop and brow furrowing darkness, but sounds completely natural no matter what musical direction, or emotion, she pursues. Hence, whether she’s wailing “My mind won’t stop with this crossroads shit, is this real?” in Crossroads or coming up with winning hooks in Blackest Night and Where It Fits, Redhead emerges as a versatile and intriguing talent.

****

MATT THROWER

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