Customer Reviews

Messenger

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I got the message right away...Jimmy Little is gifted with a voice that is so lilting and unique, it's unreal. He was the first Aboriginal musician to break into the limelight in the 60's and brings an interesting twist to these mellow cover songs.

Many of the songs are delicate productions that are reminiscent of a dance hall balladeer singing the final song of the night as the janitor sweeps the floor around that last couple still swaying...

There are themes here of love, loss, and society that are universal. And there is also a merging of musical styles that is hard to pin down. You then realize that trying to stick Jimmy Little into the limiting nature of a category would make you miss the point all together. He is who he is, and that is what makes his music beautiful. That is the message.

It's been a blessed life for Jimmy Little and now, nearly 40 years after his original work, he is once again getting the airplay he so richly deserves. "Messenger" is a remix of some great Australian recordings. As many have suggested, Jimmy Little has just enhanced and given new life to some already excellent work. Recently inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Hall of Fame, Jimmy's voice is the most soothing and comforting sound you are ever likely to experience. This has been a huge seller throughout Oz, from 16-66 years of age, you'll love it. The man is a thourough gentleman. Don't let this recording pass you by.

An Aboriginal Australian, Jimmy Little reinterepts some of the island continent's best independent classics. His voice is beautiful. My favorite is the wistful "Randwick Bells" - it stays with you.

"I leave the radio on all night, sooner or later it puts me to sleep..."

This album of covers of '80s Australian pub-rock and folk-rock tunes (one NZ ring in!) is a bit of a gentle phenomenon. Superb orchestration and production for Jimmy's interpretations.

I didn't really relate to many of the originals first time round, but here they are stripped back and remade in a distinctive and moving way.

Some the interpretations are very different to the originals. Rock songs become lovely swirly things with Jimmy's quiet but always moving voice. His diction is so good.

He exposes just how good the songs like 'Into Temptation', 'Randwick Bells', 'Cattle and Cane' and others really are. The songs are often very Australian but not in the obvious way (no Great Southern Land etc).

Mind you, I live in 'cattle and cane' country, so the Go Between's classic of place and growing up is very redolent!

Black fella/white fella is perhaps the only slightly cliched choice, given Jimmy's aboriginality, but it is a good version anyway (love the way he says fulla for fella).

This is a very distinctive album, an easy listening album but not out of the mediocrity of the songs, producer or singer. Get it and impress your friends. Ridiculous that it is so low on the Amazon chart.

PS probably cheaper finding an Aussie online source!

It's one of those very rare albums that have all this in one: 1) a singer with an extremely beautiful and touching voice (what a Sinatra-like timing!, what a colouring!, what an ease of singing!, what a treatment of text!, what a ...) 2) an impeccable production 3) a very skillful and tasteful playing of the accompanying musicians 4) pleasant surprises every time you listen to it (never a dull moment!) It's a six-star, classic album, if you ask me!

Not wanting to take anything away from Jimmy Little (his voice is one of the best in the business and his interpretation of the songs excellent), I find this CD a celebration of the songwriting talent available down under.

If you are not familiar with Australian music then I can reccomend this as a starter, but then encourage you to track down the original artists of the songs you like.

Whilst I feel his versions of Down Below and Black Fella/White Fella suffer in comparison with the originals, the rest of the Cd is very solid. Tracks 4,5 & 6 (Randwick Bells, Quasimodo's Dream and Into Temptation) are a pure celebration of his voice and the song writers art.

Enjoy!

I can't recommend this enough. If you appreciate albums like Emmylou Harris' "Wrecking Ball" and Bruce Cockburn's "Charity of Night" you will love this. I can't think of a single Australian album that surpasses it, it really is that good. Jimmy re-interprets some oustanding Australian songs ("Into Temptation" is really from New Zealand though)and gives them an ethereal quality with that rich and silky voice of his. I thoroughly enjoyed the sublime "Cattle and Cane". "Randwick Bells", "Quasimodo's Dream" and "Into Temptation" are also personal favourites of mine. "Way I made you feel" has a super cool, irresistable groove. I've also been fortunate enough to meet and chat with Jimmy and he is a true gentleman, genuine and modest, and unaltered by fame. He said that his favourite song from this album was The Church's "Under the Milky way" and a nice one it is too. The production (by band member Brendan Gallagher) on this record is excellent, amospheric and precise, just as good as you'd expect from producers like T Bone Burnett or Daniel Lanois (not as "effect" heavy as Lanois though). The band are great on this, creating a very warm, organic sound using many different instruments, including Hammond organ, double bass, lap steel, vibraphonette, Fender Rhodes, violin, bouzouki, percussion and the standard drums/bass/guitar. It is indeed a shining moment in Australian music and had it been released internationally would have been, in world music also.

I recently meet Jimmy Little, and his manner is just like this sublime recording, mellow, gentle and approachable. You are actually getting two gems with this album. Some of the best Australian songs and an inspired vocal interpretation backed by a local three piece band called Karma County. Anyway, like all discovered treasures, the value is in the appreciation. Float with his voice.

This will be considered a master work of Australian music art - it has taken the best of Australian music over the last 10-15 yrs and interpreted it through the voice of mature and warm voice (in fact an aboriginal man who started his career over 40 years ago).

this album is a really good collection of some great songs, which have been covered in a very laid back style, the single (the one they're playing on the radio), "the way i made you feel", is not such a good representation of the rest of the album which is very much slower but very easy to listen to and which really grows on you. very much worth a listen.