Search - David Bridie :: Act of Free Choice

An incredible CD!

John K | 07/21/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The front man for bands like Not drowning waving and My friend The Chocolate Cake has released what I consider the best CD I have heard in years. There are too many great songs on this CD to name a standout track. (Not one "skipper") Gentle piano soundscapes over a wash of atmospheric sounds and Bridie's unique vocal arrangements make this the best CD of its kind since David Sylvian's "Secrets of the beehive" in 1987. This is a must have for anyone that enjoys fragile, but moving music. It amazes me that this CD and this artist will never get the recognition in the USA he deserves. Thanks Australia!"

More people need to hear this.

Stephen Doig | New Zealand | 07/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Australian Rock looks to be in good shape right now with the likes of David Bridie and Powderfinger flying the flag with excellent recent albums. It's evident on first listen that Bridie's 'Act of Free Choice' sounds like nothing else out there, at once urgent, graceful and haunting, you can expect these 11 songs to take over your mind and senses for a good while to come. The sparse beats and subtle atmospherics may find an influence in Massive Attack, yet Bridie goes one further marrying these tracks to lovely unfolding melodies. Nowhere is this more evident than on 'Dive' which just envelops you in it's sheer beauty, 'Kerosene' too, has this power. Even the more minamilist songs have a hypnotic pull with Bridie tackling social/political as well as personal themes. It's one thing to enjoy an album, another to come away from it feeling transformed and somewhat beholden from the experience. It may not be widely heard ...yet, but this is essential listening."

David Bridie - an outstanding talent

Pallando | Sydney, Australia | 08/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The album "Act of Free Choice" is a superbly crafted series of songs, incorporating orchestral arrangements, piano balladry, electronica and David Bridie's own husky lyrics. The net effect is sublime, with many thoughtful ruminations on traditional Australian life, and also the people of Irian Jaya, whose struggle for independence from Indonesia is one of Bridie's most public causes.



This album is quite unlike a typical rock or pop work, and it totally eschews the hackneyed and over-produced musical fare that typically dominiates our airwaves and album charts. The songs have a lyrical atmosphere that combines both melancholy and quiet joy - particular highlights for me are "Dive", "Kerosene" and "Deserters".



Although this album was released around 4 years ago (in 2000), it seems to reveal more every time it is played. It gained quite an amount of radio airplay at the time of its release (largely on the independent stations) and is widely regarded in Australia as one of the best new releases of the past few years.



For American and other non-Australian listeners who want to gain a sense of the best of contemporary Australian music, ignore Kylie Minogue and her ilk - try this album instead. Also definitely worth a listen is Bridie's more recent release, "Hotel Radio". - Pallando, Sydney, Australia"