:: Lyall Adonis - Stranger

Lyall Adonis

Stranger, the first full-length album from Sydney based singer-songwriter Lyall Adonis is not your average chart hit, hence its great appeal. A personal reflection on his experiences of love, life and family, it is a construction of simple and straightforward lyrics, backed by a basic melody, all working together to create songs that are open, relaxing and require little effort to take in. The album has clearly had a lot of time and effort put into it, as the tracks blend together the personal themes to create a succinct and complementary final product. What stands out about Stranger is Adonis’ voice. Like a fine mist, you don’t pay it much attention until you realise your soaking wet. The magic of the album lies in this experience, that you will only end up hearing it when stop trying to listen! With Adonis the rule applies, what you see is what you get. It is unlikely you will hear him sing something manufactured by a European hit factory; his songs are an insight into his thoughts and feelings, which are, as he says, only restricted by his own experiences. Adonis is refreshing both musically and personally. He admits he is limited to a ten-chord guitar repertoire, and acknowledges his fears stating, “I used to nearly pass out before going on stage”. This honesty translates well into his music, and it is terrific to find an artist that is as genial as his music suggests he is. There is a fantastic groove to this album. The music has an ebb and flow that carries you along its current. Such is the power of its persuasiveness, one fan was inspired to post on the net board, ‘thanks Lyall, you got me a second date’! Jokes aside, Stranger has a quality that is best left untold and experienced for yourself.