SCALA Over The Edge CD Review Psst, can I let you in on a secret? On November 19th at the Joiner's Arms for our Saturday Showcase we launched the new CD, SCALA Over the Edge. No, that's not the secret, that's a well-publicised fact! Parts of this one are a little late in arriving, but it's been well worth the wait, containing 76'57" of great music (I suspect nothing else could have been crammed in even if someone had wanted to!). So, what's the secret? Well, I happen to know that there are a lot of you out there in SCALAland who'd like to know how to do better in SCALA's annual Festival of Original Music Song Competition (FOOM). Well it's no secret that this CD features FOOM winners from 2003 and 2004 (2 years in one CD - bonus!) So these are the songs that the judges liked so much that they won the various sections. Needless to say, if you want to study "the form" so to speak, here is the way to do it! The Cover and package This year's cover artwork and design has been created by Laila Ferrier of Quentin Eyers Music and I've got to say, I really love the design. I also really like the booklet with the lyrics, a short bio and the notes on the song (FOOM details etc.). The fonts chosen and the colours make every word printed easy to read - something that isn't true of many CDs! The Songs The album gets off to a bop along good start with Anything, a fine example of Jane-Marie Evans' writing ably supported by Jim Paterson and Kath Adams. We haven't seen much of Jane Marie of late so it's good to hear her on this CD and it'll be good to see a bit more of her in the future (hint, hint!). From Country Bop straight into some Solid Rock; Everything Is Broken from Gert Admiraal (evidently now a resident of Queensland) well supported by Chris (the lead guitarist with something akin to ADD - he just can't stop!) and a solid rhythm section. There's plenty of Gert, the "rock god" in this song! Then Butter Me Up, some energetic soul/R n B courtesy of Blame Jayne, written by a new SCALA star - Gloria Albanese. While the backing is well arranged and performed, of particular note are the dual lead vocals and harmonies - these really shine! Variety! Next comes some pure reggae with Jivanta and Reno Krause's crowd favourite - Chill Out. I really like the little extras that we don't see when this is played live, particularly Natasha's lovely little keyboard tickles. But I do have some difficulties with this track, the live energy that has entranced audiences hasn't quite been captured and the sound of the guitar isn't all that satisfactory for a professional recording (this problem isn't from the studio, having heard some of the other products of "Pigs in Space Studios" and knowing the excellent gear that they have on hand). The next song, Belonging, from Vicki Bennett and performed by her band, The Standard Deviations, breaks some new ground in that this year we have winners of the lyrics section included on the CD. It's a beautiful lyric, a beautiful love song, well arranged, performed and delivered and also available (in a different version) on The Standard Deviations' self -titled album (where again it is one of many gems!). Then one of the other lyrics winners, Adrian Miller with Incoming Wounded. Here we have the more serious side of Adrian, a nicely put together song with a lyric well worth the reading and contemplating. Also thanks for the photo Anya! Then the second Blame Jayne song, Bumpy Ride, showing a little more poppy/rocky sound than their earlier song. Again it showcases some great talent in performance, particularly the vocals and with some lovely introspection in the lyric. Michael Maher's Secret Plan showcases some pleasant pop and good instrumentation by his band, wordfly, that appears to be covering a very dark lyric; but just what is the secret plan? Phil Salonikis then combines pop with some dance beat in his Kiss the Rain performed by the band Sojourn (with Phil on rhythm guitar). Consulting an exponent of this genre, it was reasonably well received. The variety just keeps on coming. I particularly like Ursula Reszinski 's vocal, a voice that suits the song to a tee, with power and character to burn. My Only Good Memory is a lyric nostalgic trip from Mackay-based Dean Malone, about a visit back to Dean's old hometown and his old girlfriend who provided the lovely refrain "My only good memory of this regrettable town was you". Rowan Goyns' For Mary, provides the first instrumental track of this album, featuring some soaring guitar and backing synths. A pleasant listen, some pretty melody and enough variance (in sounds and arrangement etc.) to keep any listener satisfied for its 3'38". From full instrumentation to Ben Steven's solo presentation (vocals and guitar) of his Hands to Hold. This is a soft and gentle love song which is usually performed live by Ben and Jordan Bienke together as The Fortunate Sons. It works well in its simple presentation and arrangement on CD but I miss what Jordan contributes when "The Sons" play the song live. Next Antonio Camarra invites us to Feel the Rain and I'm quite impressed with his synth and drum programming particularly. Tony's responsible for everything on this track except the bass (thanks to Corey Stewart)! Manyoush's Shine for you is a dance track. The lack of musical credits makes me suspect that it is another example of programmed synth music. Manyoush has a voice that's pleasant to listen to and thankfully there is a bit of variation with the "doof doof" having an off button at several parts of the track. Again in consulting someone with more appreciation of this genre, it gets a big thumbs up (just bring on the scantily clad dolly dancing girls!) - [calm down there Clayton!] And now for something completely different, an introspective Matt Sullivan with the acoustic track Passing Time based on some time in the Pilbara and pondering the "here and now" with the past, the original indigenous culture and today. UK-based Cal Williams' Taking Falls, the first (and I think only) international entry on this CD, is another simple acoustic track with some quite intriguing images in the lyric and an unusual structure - no verse / chorus or bridge as such but with some definite development along the way. Then David Robinson's Better Go, a positive look at being sidetracked from the act of actually getting to work - may you have many more days contemplating paradise and avoiding the drudge mate! Rob McDade then takes us on an excursion through our very own Darren Zaza's guitar collection, in his instrumental Dickhead in a G string. There's Gibsons, acoustics, Fenders and pedals galore, all very nicely played and sounding great. Indeed it makes some very pleasant listening, but at 9'11" it is a little difficult to listen to without losing concentration or the bladder suggesting you might like to be somewhere else for a couple of minutes! There's also some reminiscence of War of the Worlds and Mike Oldfield who I suspect get regular rotation in the McDade household. Lastly and certainly not least is Vicki Bennett's very amusing and yet heartfelt tribute to Robert and Jane Childs and their Medals of the Order of Australia (OAM) - having been in the audience for this gorgeous rendition - it's simply a pleasure to listen to and as Vicki so accurately puts it they are "the heart of SCALA". Hats off to Rob And Jane and to Vicki for giving voice to these thoughts. Some Other Secrets There are examples of Verse/Chorus songs, some with bridges, some with no chorus at all, not even refrains. There are some songs that have excellent lyrics that are a joy to hear sung, some that are crystal clear in meaning, others that are quite cryptic and some songs with lyrics that are quickly forgettable (which some songwriters suggest might better fit the requirements of modern radio). There is a wonderful variety of genre and sound with the songwriters involved being uninhibited in presenting their own songs - something for which SCALA should be proud! The Last Secret Always a point of interest in SCALA CDs, is where has the title come from? Normally Robert Childs (OAM), President of SCALA, Sir Robert to his friends, has a listen to the CD in total and a look through the lyrics and finds something suitable - it's another award in itself I think - who has written the lyric that contains the CD title - well, you'll just have to buy the CD to find out! The Studios and Producers Thanks to all the SCALA Sponsors and producers who make this CD possible (all listed in the CD booklet). Apart from 2 pre-mastered tracks, mastering was by Neville Clark at Disk-Edits - never an easy task for SCALA CDs with so many tracks recorded at different studios by engineers, with (sometimes) different production techniques and values but Neville imparts an overall consistency to the final product. Well done! Copyright © Clayton Werner 2005 Originally published in and adapted from SCALA News # 104 (October/November/December 2005)