(M. J. Dean)

Songs for the landlord’s daughter…

Recorded underneath a Brisbane house with a digital four-track, an acoustic guitar, a borrowed electric and a bass-playing ex-neighbour, Sudhir’s self-released Red Hill Songs is the recapturing of a series of once-forgotten folk songs written by the artist some years ago and preserved on an old cassette tape. A quiet mix of half-rhymes and impressionistic non-sequiturs supported by delicate guitar work, the album suffers slightly from overly precious lyrics; the straining excess of imagery conjures an impression of a bookcase too tightly packed. That said, the second track, Chasing Haiku, is a definite high point. Reminiscent of the songs of the British revival, it’s a three-minute slab of fine folk that wouldn’t seem out of place dividing Edward Woodward and Britt Ekland. It would be interesting to hear the original cassette in glorious analogue; indeed, some things in their natural state have the most vivid colours.

BEN WILSON

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