SONIC
REDEMPTION - Black Dirt (Timberyard)
Sixteen years after Timberyard released The Dubrovniks' debut album,
two of the members (one original and one latter-day) are back on the same
imprint with a new band, Black Dirt. Fittingly 
enough
too, because Black Dirt plays similar music, albeit with a much (ahem) dirtier
edge.
Ex-Scientist and Beast of Bourbon, Boris Sudjovic, heads Black Dirt and employs
that distinctive and simple bass attack to superb effect. He also handles
lead vocals adequately enough to make you wonder why he doesn't do it more
often, and contributes occasional guitar. Chris Flynn (former Dubrovnik and
an ex-Headstone, whose "When You're Down" 45 remains a fixture in
our jukebox) and Chris Collins (formerly of major label disappearing act Mantissa/Killing
Time) are on guitars. Drummer Paul Loughhead (aka Paul Larsen) is moonlighting
from the Celibate Rifles.
Cliche corner: This is open highway rock and roll, ideal accompaniment for
flooring a V8 with the windows down and the volume turned up unmercifully
loud. Sorry, no other way to call iot. It's lyrically dumbed-down; the "fuck
you" chorus on the opener "Move" is sure to become an instant
live favourite in beer barns around Australia (a handful hosting live music
still exist), while "party all night" ("Chemical Party")
and girls ("Girl Like U") seem to be familar and comforting motifs.
"Sonic Redemption" is also sonically attuned to blowing a hole in
your speakers. Co-producers Lindsay Gravina and Chris Townend who have laid
down a big, fat bottom end and enough distortion in the guitars to steer this
disc into familiar territory if you grew up listening to music in a pub with
sticky carpet.
The guitars in "Girl Like You" weave and wander without too many
manners, while the multi-tracking in "Down That Track" pushes a
channel of welcome feedback through the mix. "Girl Like U" is a
veritable six-stringed convention. Fans of Sydney '80s guitar rock's salad
days will find a lot to love.
There's a metallic edge to some of the tunes, but thankfully there's nothing
as polished as the last couple of Dubrovniks albums. "Sonic Redemption"
winds things back to "Dubrovnik Blues" or parts of "Audio Sonic
Love Affair", and "Dream Lover" and "Chemical Party"
would not have been out of place on either. There's even an echo of the Scientists
in the simple but effective "Drip Down".
No shortage of good, dumb tunes to fill out the 36 minutes, if you're looking
for something it isn't billed as, look elsewhere. There's a lot of redemption
to be had from revelling in rock and roll's sonic bottom drawers. This one's
going to get a few people excited, without breaking fresh ground. –
The Barman
