Bernard Fanning - Tea and Sympathy

It's not all that difficult to make a record that sounds like it could've been recorded in 1972. Making one that can't be placed on the timeline, however, is a mighty tall order. That's what Bernard Fanning has achieved with his solo debut, Tea and Sympathy.

Fanning is best known as the frontman for acclaimed Australian hard rockers Powderfinger, a band with a broad sonic reach and a knack for crafting songs filled with contagious melodies. With that band on a temporary hiatus, Fanning set off to explore another facet of his musical vocabulary, one that's considerably more low-key, but equally resonant both emotionally and viscerally.

'I've always loved that '70s sound,' Fanning says of the overall tone of Tea and Sympathy. 'Albums like Led Zeppelin II, what Jimmy Page did with open tunings - what you might call Led Zeppelin country. Not that it really sounds like that band, but just in keeping with the country blues style of that period. For want of a better word, I think it has a certain gentleness and beauty that balances out the rock element.'

Track Listing :

• Thrill Is Gone
• Wish You Well
• Not Finished Just Yet
• Songbird
• Believe
• Which Way Home?
• Wash Me Clean
• Hope & Validation
• Sleeping Rough
• Strangest Thing
• Further Down the Road
• Down to the River
• Yesterday's Gone
• Watch Over Me

More information about Bernard Fanning can be found at the Bernard Fanning website