Clare Bowditch & The New Slang – Modern Day Addiction
ARIA award-winning songwriter Clare Bowditch is back with her latest and fourth album
Modern Day Addiction
, and it surely does the trick when it comes to addictive behavior.
It will make you want to push that repeat button on your CD player over and over again.
The record is nicely structured, and the songs swim from jazzy-disco-pop to sweet ballads, without assaulting your ear holes from one track to the other.
The first half of the album invites you to dance around on pop rhythms and catchy lines, while the second draws you into a state of reflection with calmer tunes and emotional songs.
Opener The Start Of War and its church organ intro (but don’t let it fool you) is not what you would ordinarily hear on a Sunday morning mass, when the drums kick in and bring forth head shaking and foot-tapping automatisms. This song is hot and it gives you a taste of what to expect next.
Consumerism, cosmetic surgery and every day addiction… this is what Modern Day Addiction ‘s title track is all about, and it is one of those songs oneself can easily affiliate with. So true!
Bowditch also tackles today’s parenthood in Lucky life , “we want to give you a lucky life, not just ice-cream cones, shoes and mobile phones”, and as a mother of two she knows what she’s talking about.
Her next radio hit?
Prinz Willy
, perhaps.
Starting off with stomping barrel beats, followed by a brilliant mixture of keyboard, scratching electric guitars, strong piano and special effects makes it the ultimate standout from this album.
On a different note, the following track
Your Own Kind of Girl
is a beautifully written piano solo about self image and being kind to yourself.
“…that there’s some simple answer to the complex life, it’s only $29.99″ she sings.
Love songs fans will be pleased with the closing tracks The Most Beautiful Lies , Break My Heart and A Little History an homage to her father.
The appealing melodies, thought-provoking stories and angelic harmonies from this album instantly hook you in and get you to sing out loud, without even knowing the lyrics.
It is elaborated, thought trough, and no blame if it took Clare two and half years in the making because it was worth the wait.
Australia’s got talents. It has Clare Bowditch.
By Arno Billard
Note: Read through the booklet and you’ll find here and there some funny, informative and touching personal notes from Clare throughout the lyrics.
Tags: Arno Billard , Clare Bowditch , Modern Day Addiction