Customer Reviews

Every Tuesday Sometimes Sunday

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Everything the reviewer before me, Merrick, has said is true. I don't don't know Merrick, but I do know Bernie Hayes' music (I live in Sydney) and this is his 'masterpiece'. It doesn't matter where you come from, if you like strong songs sung soulfully - call it 'blue-eyed soul'- this is one humdinger of an album. As general clues, think Steve Winwood, Van Morrison, later Elvis Costello, Tim Buckley... this album is fairly sophisticated for a bloke who at times likes to muck in with some chunky pub rock.

Hayes is one of the most unglamorous, 'ordinary' characters you are ever likely to bump into, but he commands the respect of the best musicians in Australia, renowned or otherwise, many of whom show up to adorn his humble acoustic pub gigs.

Hayes sings, plays guitar, writes songs, makes music with his mates. I hope he pays his bills okay, because the music industry, television and media here pass him by.

When you hear this album, you'll wonder why he hasn't been 'discovered' - in France, or Brazil - anywhere! He probably wonders himself, bit it doesn't show. He's still around, making music week in week out, solo and with various bands and ring-ins. Bless him.

If you have flipped through the pages of any inner city music newspaper in Sydney over the last few years, you would have been hard pressed not to see the name Bernie Hayes. He has been sitting in the corner of the local pubs, captivating loyal fans (and many a drinker who happened to stumble into his show) with his soulful vocals, honest lyrics and damn fine ability to write a pop song. With songs of love, and loss, and the complexities of human relationships, he covers all bases of pop without ever sounding sugar coated or insincere. In fact, his songs are as deeply personal as you can get. Telling the tales of an artist who has seen many things, experienced many heartbreaks and losses (including the suicide of his brother, well known artist Stevie Plunder, founding member of The Whitlams) is dangerous musical territory, in danger of becoming melanchony and jaded. Many songs hover unsteadily between the two, but always slap themselves quickly enough to reveal another side, stubborn optimism about the future.

'Every Tuesday, Sometimes Sunday' is a collection of songs written over a twenty year career, finally extracted and put to disc. Does it show! This is the kind of back catalogue that artists would sell their soul for. From the opening lines of the album, "Falling over backwards, trying to keep some stranger pleased, makes a strong man weak, makes a good man slow, and that's one thing I don't need..." you are tapping your feet and bopping around thinking "Yeah, you're right. I don't need that!" *grins*

'Your Boyfriend's Back In Town' carries special memories for me, but it is songs like 'Mission In Life', 'Slumber' and 'Casting Couch' (you can hear a clip <a href="http://www.halfacow.com.au/label/artists/bernie/index.htmt">Here</a>) that stand out as classic acoustic pop songs. 'You Made Me Hard' (no, not THAT kind of hard!) often finds its way into my playlists on rainy and contemplative nights. Beautiful.

Whereas I have many criticisms of his later work, this album slides under the usually prickly criticism I have for artists. Perhaps this is caused by my own sentimentality, perhaps this is caused by the fact that this is one of the best albums I have ever owned, or heard for that matter! If you like artists like Elliott Smith, with songs of highly polished pop sensibilities without any loss of depth or beauty, then I would recommend Bernie Hayes. Actually, I would recommend him to anyone who likes original works by singer-songwriters of any persuasion.

This is just one of those fantastic undiscovered gems...C'mon, it's worth your investigation.

Have you ever got your hands on an album that is soooo good right from the off, that you are torn between wanting it to a) last forever, and b) finish quick because you want experience it all over again?

Its probably been years since I've heard anything that made me smile from sheer delight as much as this album. Most of the songs on here are written by Bernie who has been playing around the inner suburbs of Sydney (in various guises) for years. He was finally coaxed into a studio by the guy that owns this label - and thank god for that. This is as fine a collection of semi/acoustic songs as you'll ever hear - finely observed lyrics and magnificently clutter free music.

What's even better is that live, in a small pub somewhere in the south of Sydney, it all sounds just as good or better....I reckon it was worth the airfare to Australia on its own :)