Dan Sultan’s Blackbird epitomises everything a good Australian rock album should be. A perfectly balanced blend of big band rock n’ roll matched with soft, soulful ballads, the record features strong themes pertaining to the Australian experience with the passionately laid-back attitude that our culture is renowned for.
His third studio album follows Homemade Biscuits (2006) and Get Out While You Can (2009), which earned Sultan his well-deserved name. Propelled by a whole host of new supports after a brief soul-searching hiatus, including producer Jacquire King (of Tom Waits, Kings of Leon, and Modest Mouse fame), it is apparent from the outset that in the five years since his last release, the singer’s musicianship has matured, bringing an impressive added level of talent to the new album.
The record name pays tribute to the famous Blackbird studio in Nashville, the LP’s birthplace. But don’t let that fool you; select tracks feature unique Aussie themes reminiscent of the likes of Paul Kelly, as well as reflecting on the artist’s Aboriginal roots as a descendent of the Arrernte and Gurindji people – a subject prominent throughout his works.
Although many may never have set foot on the red dirt of the northwest, there is a strong sense of familiarity in ‘Kimberley Calling’, which transports listeners alongside Sultan to Kimberley icons like the Roebuck Hotel and the Aboriginal township of Beagle Bay.
The local musician has already received critical acclaim and frequent radio play for the album’s first single, ‘Under Your Skin’. By the sound of this overall collection, the trend is likely to continue with ‘Can’t Blame Me’, ‘It Belongs to Us’, and many more.
Listen to ‘Under Your Skin’ from Blackbird here:
