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5.0 out of 5 stars
Kernaghan's "Dream" Worth Living, April 11, 2009
This review is from: Livin' The Dream (Audio CD)
Prime Cuts: The Last Great Romantic, Second Time Around, Twinkle in Your Eye
In a keening attempt to be embraced by the US market, many Australian country artists (Sherrie Austin, Shea Fisher, Adam Brand and Keith Urban) have kept everything Aussie to its bare minimum. In fact, there's nothing on some of these albums that is distinctively Australian. Not so with Tania Kernaghan: not only is she the spokesperson for "Discover Down Under," she sings about her country with pride. Nevertheless, this new CD "Livin' the Dream" is not antiquated bush music that only sings the glory of the land Down Under. Rather, Kernaghan has mastered the artistry of releasing a CD choke with hook laden commercial country singles as well as drenched in the vernacular of her Aussie ideology. Thematically, this CD covers a melange of topics from the flushes of love found ("Tinkle in Your Eye," "The Last Great Romantic") to hope after loss ("Second Time Around") to unabashed glories of her Aussie heritage ("Livin' the Dream," "Little Piece of Paradise") and to a moving tribute to her dad ("We're a Lot Like Each Other"). Responsible concomitantly for such a sonic delight is the presence of sister songwriter Fiona Kernghan (a reputable writer on her own rights) who has a hand in penning 6 out of these 12 selections.
Leave it to Kernaghan to deliver the ultimate sassy anthem of love's resilience. Written by sister Fiona, the lyrics of "Second Time Around" speaks of love's elasticity to rebound back after taking a nose dive. The melody is so immediately catchy that it'll keep spinning in your head hours after the song has stopped. Also on par is the excellent fiddle drenched "Twinkle in Your Eye," a straight ahead love song that has a youthful feel to it. And Kernaghan gives the young divalets a run for their money with the bluesy upbeat "Dad's Not Gonna Like It," with its driving tune backed by some excellent guitar riffs that stands toe to toe with the likes of Sugarland, Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum. Moreover, Kernaghan gives vocabulary to romance with the gorgeous "The Last Great Romantic"--a dreamy yet melodically driven mid-tempo number with Kernaghan cruising with affection as she enjoys every moment of this amorous escapade.
Two interesting covers are included here: first is Kernaghan's take of Cole Porter's "Don't Fence Me In." Not a moment are we to think that Kernaghan has abandoned her country roots. Rather, she brings country right into Cole Porter's "Don't Fence Me In:" transforming this gem into a western style romp. The other cover is Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Fishing in the Dark." Here Kernghan shows ownership of this classic as she sings this song with a relaxed and understated passion. And for those who miss the rural aspects of life country music used to address, "Droving Cattle with the Boys" gives us a taste of what it means to live in the Australian outback. Having "Billy tea for Brekky" and living off one's "super" may befuddle those not familiar with Australian lingo, "Livin' the Dream" and "Little Piece of Paradise" sound like commercials Kernghan could use in her promotion of "Discovering Down Under."
While Kernaghan is mainstay in the Australian country scene, she is still relatively unknown on the other side of the Atlantic. And hopefully things will change with "Livin' the Dream." There are enough songs here (especially the lead single "Second Time Around") that will connect to the US country audience. On the other hand, there's also enough for those who want a break from the bland commercial country coming out of North America at the moment. Kernghan has a way of making her dreamland of Australia palatable and engaging.
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