Kookaburra (album)
| Kookaburra | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 8 March 2024 | |||
| Recorded | May 2021 and August 2023 | |||
| Studio |
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| Length | 48:29 | |||
| Label | EGR | |||
| Producer |
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| The Whitlams Black Stump chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Sancho | ||||
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Kookaburra is the eighth studio album by Australian band the Whitlams, and first under the name the Whitlams Black Stump. It was released on 8 March 2024.[1] The album was supported by the 25-date Kookaburra tour, commencing in March 2024.[1] In May 2024, the tour was extended by an extra 20 days.[2]
About making a country album, lead singer Tim Freedman said "I am a parochial lyric writer, and country music has a strong sense of time and place, so clothing my stories in a country music coat seemed like a natural progression to me, I had to scratch that itch and investigate."[3]
Reception
[edit]In an album review on Sunburnt Country, Sophie Hamley acknowledged the risk the group took by re-recording their songs into a different style. Hamley said "What is also profoundly clear – in a way that it wasn’t on the earlier recordings – is that Freedman is a really lovely singer." Hamley closed the review saying, "This is an album made by experts and the listener is rewarded accordingly. Freedman's high-stakes gamble has paid off, and old fans will no doubt mingle with new as he takes these songs to people all over the land."[4]
Track listing
[edit]- "Man About a Dog" (Tim Freedman) – 4:07
- "No Aphrodisiac" (Freedman, Glen Dormand, Matt Ford) – 2:59
- "Fallen Leaves" (Perry Keyes, Matt Fell, Freedman) – 3:44
- "In the Last Life" (Freedman, Wayne Connolly) – 4:39
- "The Day John Sattler Broke His Jaw" (Keyes) – 4:47
- "You Sound Like Louis Burdett" (Freedman, Mark Wells) – 4:14
- "Your Boyfriend's Back in Town" (Bernie Hayes) – 3:23
- "Nobody Wants to Be You" (Dan Reeder) – 2:06
- "There's No One" (Freedman) – 3:35
- "Blow Up the Pokies" (Freedman, Greta Gertler Gold) – 3:43
- "50 Again" (Freedman, Daniel Denholm, John Housden) – 3:21
- "Witness Protection Scheme" (Freedman, Chris Abrahams) – 2:57
- "Birds" (Neil Young) – 4:54
Personnel
[edit]The Whitlams Black Stump
- Tim Freedman – vocals, piano
- Ollie Thorpe – pedal steel guitars, electric guitars, backing vocals
- Rod McCormack – banjo, acoustic guitars, backing vocals, additional engineering (all tracks); production (track 1)
- Matt Fell – bass, percussion, ukulele, additional acoustic guitars, additional electric guitars, additional keyboards, backing vocals, production, mixing
- Terepai Richmond – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
- Stu Hunter – Hammond organ, piano (tracks 3, 5–13)
- Josh Schuberth – drums, percussion (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7–11, 13)
- George Washingmachine – violin (tracks 1, 2)
- Melanie Jackson – backing vocals (tracks 3, 8–10, 12, 13)
- Daniel Denholm – string arrangement, conductor (track 3)
- Michele O'Young – string leader (track 3)
Technical
- William Bowden – mastering
- Dan Frizza – engineering
- Adrian Breakspear – engineering (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7–11, 13)
- Ted Howard – additional engineering
Visuals
- David Frazer – lino print
- Cate Pepper – album art, design
- Cherrie Hughes – inside cover photo
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[5] | 54 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "The Whitlams Black Stump Announce Massive Kookaburra Launch Tour". The Music. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "The Whitlams Black Stump Extend 2024 National Tour". Music Feeds. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
- ^ "The Whitlams Black Stump Kookaburra". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "Album review: KOOKABURRA by The Whitlams, Black Stump Band". Sunburnt Country. 9 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
- ^ "Making a Grande entrance". Australian Recording Industry Association. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.