Anti-Act Of Free Choice
Kirk D. Colton | Ogden, Utah | 05/06/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"David Bridie, member of Not Drowning Waving, My Friend The Chocolate Cake and Soundtrack Composer down under releases his second solo album.Don't go expecting another "Act Of Free Choice". On Hotel Radio, Mr. Bridie purposefully went away from many of the elements and textures of "Act Of Free Choice". Where as that album had simple melodies, restrained choruses, a downtempo feel and layers and layers of sound. Hotel Radio has some downright danceable tracks, good pop songs, great female backup vocals and strong choruses.
Bridie kept the layers of sound for Hotel Radio So is it any good? Conceptually, it doesn't flow as well as Act Of Free Choice. But the album contains some great songs. One in particular (Tender Trap) is one of the best songs Bridie has ever written and is one of the best songs released by any artist this year. As Bridie might phrase it, Tender Trap is a corker of a track. Other highlights include: 100 Flowers In Bloom ( a great, house inspired pop song) Safety Haven (a peter gabrielesque type song with a killer chorus) and Epiphany( a trip hop song with great string arrangements) Lyrically, the album features the most political lyrics Bridie has ever written.Production wise, this album is one of the best engineered records I have ever heard(and that includes Act Of Free Choice)Four Stars because of a couple of o.k. tracks ( I particularly don't like "Canopy") Hotel Radio might resemble a Brian Eno pop album if Mr. Eno released a record his year And although I am a huge David Bridie fan, Hotel Radio confirms that he is one of the best music artists Australia has ever produced(and a great piano player. Mainstream Australian press outlets are saying the same thing. R.I.Y.L.: Coldplay, John Cale, Radiohead, Boards Of Canada, Halou, Massive Attack, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, R.E.M., Sigur Ros and Moby. end
kdc"
DB Solo Magic
Daniel Dennis | Brisbane, Queensland Australia | 12/26/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"David Bridie always makes beautiful, multi-textured music that reflects an inventive musicality matched by a humane heart. These songs are mood pieces that range from atmospheric soundscapes to melodic pop of wit and intelligence. If you haven't encountered Mister Dave's dazzling previous incarnations in "Not Drowning Waving" and "My Friend the Chocolate Cake", start here for a joyous musical ride, then check his back catalogue. He never makes an uninteresting recording. Many of us are still amused that here in Australia we have one of the pop world's finest musical craftsmen all to ourselves."
Excellence as expected!!
veryweird | Melbourne, Australia | 01/13/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Having stumbled across Bridie's Not Drowning Waving back in the late 80's, I have been a devoted follower of all his works since, including that with My Friend the Chocolate Cake and his various movie soundtracks. This guy is a GENIUS, and also the most underrated artist in Australia. Without sounding high-brow, he is a real "thinking person's" musician, and you won't miss his political undertones, this guy wears his heart on his sleeve!! On his website, he was lamenting the two disastrous election results last year, no prizes for guessing who the second one was!!
This CD is a bit more upbeat than his first solo effort, ACT OF FREE CHOICE. There's not a bad song on here, my favorites in no particular order are, Hotel Radio, Safety Haven(makes a mockery of John Howard's stand on reugees) the lush Come Around, Nation (of the heartless kind) is a beautiful song that gets under your skin, The tender trap evokes tropical images, probably stemming from Bridie's Papua New Guinea influences. 100 Flowers In Bloom is one of his more up tempo songs, Blue Black Sky is a fantastic duet with Dave Mason from another great OZ act, now defunct, THE REELS. And finally STUMBLE AWAY, a very melancholy song, which is Bridie's bread and butter.
If you like a bit of moody, melancholy music, you won't be disappointed. However, this album offers a lot more than Bridie's trademark stuff. It has layers galore, a few more "radio friendly" poppy songs AKA On A Day Like This, Hotel Radio etc. There is also his usual atmospheric undertones, so prevelent on many of his soundtracks. Everyone I've recommended this to has been very impressed, give it a go, you're sure to love it too!!"
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1