Search - Colin Hay :: American Sunshine

American Sunshine
Colin Hay
American Sunshine
Genres: Folk, Pop, Rock
 
  •  Track Listings (11) - Disc #1

While Colin Hay's voice and visage are familiar to millions as front-man, songwriter, and vocalist of pop sensations Men at Work ("Down Under," "Overkill," "Who Can It Be Now?"), the past ten years have found him quietly r...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Colin Hay
Title: American Sunshine
Members Wishing: 3
Total Copies: 0
Label: Compass Records
Original Release Date: 1/1/2009
Re-Release Date: 8/18/2009
Genres: Folk, Pop, Rock
Styles: Contemporary Folk, Adult Contemporary, Singer-Songwriters, Adult Alternative
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 766397451220

Synopsis

Product Description
While Colin Hay's voice and visage are familiar to millions as front-man, songwriter, and vocalist of pop sensations Men at Work ("Down Under," "Overkill," "Who Can It Be Now?"), the past ten years have found him quietly re-introducing himself to a new generation of fans. The frequent uses of his music in film and TV have proven the timeless appeal of his songs: quizzical, curious, cynical yet open-hearted. AMERICAN SUNSHINE is a multifaceted portrait of Colin Hay the performer, songwriter, and recording artist.

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CD Reviews

Colin Hay's Australian Dream
Timothy P. Young | Rawlins, WY, USA | 08/22/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)

"America (and especially California) is Colin Hay's Australian Dream. Not for nothing is this album titled American Sunshine. It's pastoral, bright, and well put together. An American band might use the term cynically or ironically, but for Colin Hay, it's exactly what he means.



Hay's last album, the excellent Are You Lookin' At Me?, found him exploring different musical styles while growing comfortable as a singer-songwriter. Here, he embraces that role completely, creating a tapestry of finely written songs of varying tempos, with his trademark witty lyrics ("I'm pleased to almost meet you/The pleasure's almost mine"), couched in an acoustic bed that creates a pastoral setting for Hay's musings.



While there's not an "Overkill" in the bunch, there are several very good songs, including "I Came Into Your Store," "Broken Love," and "The End of Wilhemena." It works very well as an album, even if his last release overall had better songs. Where that album worked as an exploration of Hay's own psyche, this one's more about romantic life in America. And of course, Hay's voice is as strong as ever, interpreting the material with warmth and occasional sharpness.



It's a good album. Not the best you'll ever hear, but definitely worth a listen. In some ways, it suggests a happier Graham Parker. It'll grow on you."
This CD is good, not great
Mickey K. Thompson | Bethlehem, PA | 08/23/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)

"I love Colin Hay. I like American Sunshine but I have to say that "California," "There's Water Over You," and "I Came Into Your Store" are much better live and acoustic than with the arrangements on the album. I guess it really is unfair to saddle Colin with only being an acoustic and solo musician, but I think the more produced Colin is, the less authentic the sound is.



So, if you are a Colin Hay fan, do purchase the album. If you had the chance to see him in concert in the Summer of 2009, don't be too disappointed when you start hearing instruments other than the guitar coming through your speakers."
American Sunshine - A Diverse Blend of Quality Music
Tom G. Duvall | 08/18/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This release from Colin Hay is probably his best. The music covers a lot of territory from the driving rocker Pleased to almost meet you, to the country twang of Broken Love, and the captivating Oh California. The cd has a wonderful blend of many music genres. Among the best is There's water over you. A song reckoning back to Hay's childhood. With it's smooth guitar and gentle drums it is a soothing tonic for anyones ears. No Time has the most pop sounding hook on the cd making it quite catchy. Baby, Can I see you tonight? has Colin playing stripped down with just him and guitar. This song ranks right up there as one of his best with any of his other acoustic numbers. The American Sunshine instrumental was a bit too lackluster for me though and The end of Wilhelmina was just average. Overall, American Sunshine has been very pleasing to listen to as I have been unable to take it out of my cd player since I purchased it."