(Warner)

Another big winner for this WA trio (God willing)

The phrase inshalla is used by Moslem speakers to reduce any hint of pride or ambition or even self-control in a sentence - e.g., I will write a great review, God willing. Maybe Fremantle’s Eskimo Joe felt the need to undercut their own cockiness when they gave that name to this fourth album. More likely though, it reflects the way they dropped their usual work patterns to try to find a new way. Part of that was surrendering some control by bringing in producer Gil Norton, (Pixies, Foo Fighters, Counting Crows), while another was arriving at the studio without fully-scripted songs. At first, in opener Foreign Land and the title track, apart from some minor Middle Eastern influences, it doesn’t sound all that different. The brooding earnestness they’ve become known for still shapes the sound, enough to re-establish the bond with fans. And Kav Temperley still sings like he’s worried about all manner of things. But by track three and four, Losing Friends Over Love and The Sound Of Your Heart, their brand of guitar pop now comes with both a more mature, even epic overlay, and it actually sounds more positive. It’s a characteristic that carries through even to potentially downbeat tracks like Don’t Let Me Down, lifted up by crisp percussion and keyboard effects. So forget the black fingernails and the red wine, this album marks a renewed sense of purpose that means it’s time to break out the bubbly. (Is that all right, God?)   

****

BILL HOLDSWORTH