Bernard Fanning "Departures"

Powderfinger was one of my favorite Australian discoveries of the past fifteen years.  Been a sucker for a pop song since I was five and the Aussies as a country have provided me with a substantial number of my beloved bands of all time, one of which was INXS.  I'm not saying that Powderfinger, or its vocalist, Mr. Fanning, sounded like INXS and Michael Hutchence, but they fit into that unique sensibility which was, and is, Aussie pop/rock music.  Little did I know that their last album from late 2009 would actually be the last. Two months after that post the band announced a final tour and closed the door.

This is not Fanning's first solo project, however.  The band took a short break in '03 and he put out an album that I didn't discover until 2007 when the band's next project after their hiatus was released.  I sought it out for a sample spin and discovered what was basically a country album.  Too radical a shift for me at the time, but Fanning earned accolades such as "Australia's Steven Stills."  I did not hesitate, though, when I spotted this new post-band-breakup record a few months ago.  Thankfully, he went back to the power-pop/radio rock roots of his band.  Unfortunately, it didn't gel for me after repeated spins.



That's single one.  Good video and hook. 



This is a clip of the title track and one he's financed, apparently.  After reading about the timing of the album as a whole (his dad had passed away and there were historic floods in his hometown), I knew there would be a song like this.  Too mournful for my tastes, and I can handle sad quite well. 



There's that INXS-styled sound I mentioned.  Newest single.  Some of it works, too.  Therein lies the problem.  A good chorus here, a great riff there, fine lyrics in that one, hot sax solo (though I kept thinking it was a direct rip of the SNL opening theme).......they all come together on only one track for me and it's none of the three above.  If I could break these songs into pieces of a musical puzzle I would be able to put together a few fine tunes.  Now maybe I'm too harsh on it coming from the States (and I can't find an imminent release date for it domestically) but the album has sold well Down Under, debuting at #1 and still charting today. 

I'm holding out for a Powderfinger reunion...