:: Daniel Merriweather - Love & War

Daniel Merriweather

It's been a fascinating journey for Melbourne singer Daniel Merriweather. Having seen him perform at the tender age of fifteen, it's wonderful to see his development culminate in this sincere, yet strong, debut album. Daniel oozes great style and charisma and has a soulful voice that lives up to his rock-star appearance. The strength of his vocal ability is apparent from the opening track “For Your Money”. Other impacting tracks are “Change”, which features a soft-funk chorus, aided by some cool rapping by Wale. Then there is a gorgeous ballad “Cigarettes” – surely a standout sing-along anthem for the big crowds. “Red” is a similarly heartfelt pop song, with Daniel's achingly sincere voice again taking control. “Water and a Flame”, featuring beautiful singer Adele offers a great combination. She adds extra dimension to the song. The tender “Giving Everything Away for Free” closes the album. As co-writer on all but one song, Daniel Merrriweather has crafted a stir that rightfully puts his place amongst the country's best. Noting too that Mark Ronson was called in to produce the record is something of significant proportions. It seems that Ronson hasn't lost his magic touch. As with his work on Amy Winehouse's Back To Black, Love And War is a brilliantly crafted piece of soulful pop. Daniel's strong vocals are delivered with emotion and honesty and come across in a compelling fashion. He had been sadly underrated over the past ten years, but he simply cannot be ignored any longer across all music spheres in Australia. This is an engaging and well produced debut which will continue Daniel's rise overseas and surely garner greater attention in his own country.