Cold Chisel are back with their first album in fifteen years, No Plans. This release, with drummer Charlie Drayton replacing the dearly departed Steve Prestwich, in fact features both drummers, and the album is a wonderfully confident and strong return from one of Australia’s finest.
Kicking off with the raucous title track, the album shows the band have lost none of their fire or brilliance. Keyboard player Don Walker’s remarkable song writing skills are very much to the fore on tracks like the kicking “HQ 54 Monroe” and the rather beautiful “All For You”, which sees Jimmy Barnes pulling back on his trademark screaming to great effect.
The album ends on a poignant and very moving note with “I Got Things To Do”, featuring the band’s fallen comrade Prestwich on lead vocals. It’s a fitting epitaph and also a wonderful way to signal a new chapter for this iconic Australian band.
-Neil Evans
