By Henry Lipput
Stranger Things Have Happened, the new album from Australia's Fallon Cush, is the band's third release in three years following Morning in 2017 and Bee In Your Bonnet in 2016. And they've never sounded better.
Led by lead singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist Steve Smith, the current lineup includes the indispensable Suzy Goodwin on backing vocals, Casey Atkins on guitars and backing vocals, Tim Byron on keyboards, Peter Marley (late of The Nature Strip band) on bass and backing vocals, and Russell Crawford on drums. The core group of Smith, Goodwin, Atkins, Byron, and Marley all played on Morning and toured Australia to support that album. You can hear it in the interplay of the musicians on Stranger Things Have Happened.
There's a real 70s AM radio sound to some of the best songs on Stranger Things Have Happened especially "Benny," with its Elton John meets Steely Dan vibe. About a hookup after a concert, the end result is not good; but the feelings linger on: "Got a pick in my bottom drawer / Had it for years 10 years or more / Can't speak her name or forget her perfume." The song has some great lead guitar work, a really cool electric organ solo, and the rhythm section swings.
"Your Halo's Bright" rocks out and will be a live favorite. It has an excellent bass line from Marley and some piano pounding from Byron in the mix. Byron also adds a delightful honky-tonk piano to "Sit With Me." And featured player, Josh Schuberth, shines with his lap steel on the country-flavored "Yarraman."
At this point in the band's career, it's fair to say that a song is a classic Fallon Cush track, and "Sleep Her Away" fits that description. It has a strong melody, a steady back beat from Crawford, and fine guitar work from Smith and Atkins. "Try as I might," sings Smith, "I can't sleep her away / Made my bed / And in it I lay."
In the achingly beautiful piano ballad "I Don't Care What You Wear," a guy is obviously besotted with the woman he's with, and he's just fine with what she does: "I don't care what you wear / Don't care what you bring / Don't care what you say / But if you were to sing / 'Cause for me right here / You are everything / And more." It's a close relation to Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight."
Stranger Things Have Happened is out now and available on Fallon Cush's Bandcamp page.
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