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Title:
Perfect Universe |
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 Perfect Universe" was produced by Australian vocalist Sally Cooper and her Guitarist/partner Phillip Stone. Recorded at Ian Harveys "Electric Bedland Studios" in Eumundi, QLD, Australia. The Cd offers an unpretentious and distinctly Antipodean assortment of Jazz/Blues and Rock. Featuring Original music that was written by Sally Cooper and Phillip Stone from the Internationally touring Australian group: "The Sally Cooper Duo" during their 6 night a week performance engagement in Mumbai, India for 10 months in 2005. The cd also features some classic cover song interpretations that they offer their own personal approach to.
Vocals on all tracks are by Sally Cooper. She soars effortlessly into unadulterated, and at times unlikely dominions within her vocal arrangements and lyrical themes.
The lyrical subject matter explores her love of music in terms of how it relates to the pure function of taste in "Take a Bite." Guitarist Phillip Stones guitar styling's offer excitement and colour to this track, and also to the entire cd. Clearly a consummate guitarist, he offers variety in his approach to each track that pay tribute to his obvious respect of artists such as Pat Metheny, Wes Montgomery and Frank Gambale.
The cds' title track "Perfect Universe" explores an acceptance of the pure perfection of imperfection itself. The bands Jazz Rock arrangement and mercurial guitar solos propel this concept into an intentionally complimentary perspective.
Featuring a groove that is akin to some of the work of "Steely Dan" The subject of taste in relation to music is also explored in "The Apple of Temptation" which traverses into a more tongue in cheek metaphorical parody of text only communication in the information age of emails and the internet.
Queensland based bassist and producer Gus Fenwick plays all the bass on the cd and he also engineered "Soon Enough," a contemporary track that wouldn't sound out of place on a Sting cd. Kerry Jacobsen from the legendary Australian band "Dragon" plays all the drums. The unfaltering grooves of the rhythm section elevates the inherent jazz elements of the music into a potentially more widely accessible dimension.
"Dreaming Out Loud" is a straight up crossover Blues/gospel song which celebrates the simple joy of life. This song is also enhanced by the incredible Crocodillian vocals of surprise guest artist Queensland based vocalist Barry Charles, who adds an Antipodean twist in his vocal approach.
Settled comfortably in the infectious Swing of "Spreading That Stuff" is a lyrical exploration of the incredible power of the spoken word when used in gossip, and its uncanny power when used this way to reach tabloid dimensions.
The Variety of styles and influences on the cd tend to beg an inevitable question in regards to its genre. Is it Swing? Is it Jazz? Is it even a little like rockabilly at times? Well IS it rock? Is it Blues? But there are gospel elements? Its even contemporary and folky at times? Sally Cooper definitely deliberately chose to defy the trainspotting tendencies of the genre police in the production of this cd.
Some might simply see this cd as a just a group of great musicians playing a bunch of songs they wrote, well even so, the appeal of it has got to be inevitable in the current climate of producer controlled, commercially motivated, and regressively simplistic popular music. Because it ISNT just another bunch of nursery rhymes run through photoshop and Autotune.
The cd features the keys and string pads of Australian Pianist/Producer Ross Nixon, who also generously offered his well refined skills in his engineering approach on the sophisticated sounding jazz songs: "Spreading That Stuff" "Take a Bite," and Billie Holidays: "God Bless the child thats got his own" which received the lush treatment they deserved in their production.
A tribute is paid to the late Janis Joplin and Banjo Paterson in two surprise tracks which are completely unique to the rest of the cd. Featuring only Phillip Stone humbly playing acoustic guitar and Sallys voice, these tracks sound as if you were sitting two feet away from the duo in an intimate exposed setting, listening to timeless stories being being told by the pair who make them their own and tell them so well.
Aretha Franklins' "Dr Feelgood" receives an approach which reveals Sally Coopers' background of performing 4-6 nights a week in pubs and clubs across Australia. Her vocal delivery stands and delivers in an affronting way that could tingle the spine of even the most hardened Aussie pub patron.
So, if you are tired of overproduced, try hard commercial songs, and if you just want to hear a Feelgood Aussie band playing some great music really well, Sally Coopers' cd: "Perfect Universe: is for you.
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