Search - Old Man River :: Good Morning

He's so much more than just another hippy with a guitar

S. R. Berry | Adelaide, South Australia | 04/19/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"One of my pet hates is bloody hippies with guitars. You know the guys; Jack Johnson, Xavier Rudd, yes even the new messiah of Australian music John Butler. As far as I'm concerned they all melt together like one bland pot of social conscious tofu stew; it is as insipidly tasteless as it is predictable. Now that I've got that of my chest, let me proclaim that I expect Old Man River will continue long after this lacklustre fad has gone the way of the dodo.



What is so damn talented about Old Man River I hear you ask? We'll he's broken the cookie cutter mould and although he might fraternize with those `bloody hippies' he can write a whole host of different types of songs. For instance, La, provides some of the brightest rays of sunshine that could ever be squeezed into a pop song, and the fact that this song was birthed out of a music therapy workshop for clients with mental disabilities makes it even more special. The quirky lyrics in Trousers and slide guitar has it approaching Ween territory; give it a crazy video clip and it could be a hit in the US college scene. The rich warm vocals and romantic lyrics of Wedding Song are matched perfectly by the guitar picking melodies.



Unfortunately, the funkiness of Sunshine has been cheapened by its use in a Bonds commercial, but I guess a guy has gotta pay the bills. Long Way From Home could be Ohad Reins (Old Man River's real name) tribute to Nick Cave, his voice is obviously not as deep and depressing as Cave, but the stripped back piano tune and vulnerable vocals is unlike the rest of `Good Morning'.



`Good Morning' is a beautiful debut album that looks like it has marked the start of a exciting musical career.



Scott Berry

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