:: Sweet Nothing

Tex Perkins

If I had to pick one word that best described this album, it would be ‘crafted’. A work that is as equally comfortable as it is compelling; ‘Sweet Nothing’ is not just another CD, it is an experience not to be missed. There is not a single note that sounds out of place. It is uplifting to know that there are Australian musicians of such high calibre as Tex Perkins and his Dark Horses living and working on our home girt by sea. Each track on ‘Sweet Nothing’ is familiar in the best kind of way. Like the old pair of jeans you can’t throw away, or that comfy chair with holes in the arm rests, these songs feel as though they’ve always been there, yet are refreshing and new on each revisit. It is easy to be carried away on the lush melodies and gravely vocals, yet still remain conscious of the sometimes confronting and always insightful lyrics. A gifted song writer, Perkins conveys his thoughts with style, and has no qualms about expressing his true feelings about life, love and all that goes with it. If his song writing ability was not enough, Perkins has also managed to pull off some fairly spectacular instrumental tracks. ‘A Hair Of The God’ and ‘Great Apes’, are testimonies to why this album is a standout. In a world of over stimulation where it seems to be all talking all the time, these tracks are like a quiet oasis, a chance to ponder before taking the next step. As a member of The Cruel Sea, Perkins was the full throttle front man, bursting with raw energy. ‘Sweet Nothing’ shows he is a true musical chameleon, literally changing from a burning red to a mellow grey. Perkins sings in one track, ‘It’s all the same, everything must change’. If this is the kind of change we can keep expecting, then there is no room for disappointment.