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Rating: Saturday morning. It's pouring rain. I'm in my trusty record store to buy something, but today nothing appeals to me. I'm on the verge of giving up and heading back home empty-handed when a sepia-toned cover catches my eye. A guy with dreadlocks and an acoustic guitar sitting in some kind of shack is saying something to me. On the back of the CD, the same guy with a drummer and a double bassist in the same shack is telling me to buy the CD together. And I don't need to be told twice.
I have no idea who "The John Butler Trio" is, but I rush to the car excited like a kid with a new toy and pop the CD into the car stereo.
An acoustic guitar not too distorted introduces me with a slight phrasing "Treat Yo Mama". The three guys know how to make the listener comfortable like a freshly made bed at the end of a hard day, and without realizing it I find myself nodding my head to the rhythm. I decide to take a longer route to spend some time with my new friends.
The fingerpicking of the acoustic guitar is very intimate in the slower tracks, it almost seems like it doesn't want to disturb too much, but it changes nature in the rhythmic pieces of the album, where it perfectly complements the soft soundscapes that Shannon Birchall knows how to weave with the bow on his double bass, completing them in their tribal rhythm without ever overlapping them.
I continue listening and a subtle string arrangement envelops me like a light silk veil. I can't take it anymore, I pull over and open the booklet. "What You Want" is the title, and as I read, I realize the beauty of what I'm listening to, and I find myself laughing alone.
I start again. Outside it's still pouring rain, but I don't care, because my little "private world" is now tickled by a gentle breeze of soft guitar riffs, and my attention is captured by them. A reggae-flavored bass accompaniment and Butler's very distinctive voice, which seems tailor-made to warm the heart, make me discover the lightheartedness of "Zebra". Nicky Bomba skillfully maneuvers between the skins and cymbals of his drum set to introduce what more than a guitar solo with wah-wah could be described as happiness turned into music. I stop to let an old man with an umbrella cross, who looks at me a bit oddly. I'm laughing alone again.
Okay, that's enough! I need to get home to enjoy my new discovery with more intimacy. I start again. There's still time for an instrumental track where I can fully appreciate the technique of the three, who here offer a truly high moment within the album, where they manage to shape their instruments until they sound like one thing.
I finally arrive home.
I press eject, place my new treasure, 'Sunrise Over Sea', in the case. I look out the window, it's still raining, but I don't care anymore.
Now I have my personal sun to light up my day.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
06 Hello (04:26)
Hello, Hello, whats going through your head,
Hell there boy better get it read…
You used to be so real
And all of your love everybody did feel
But now your turning into a fake
And all our hearts yeah you do break
Cause of all those drugs you do take
One big asshole of you it does make
Sticking all that shit up your nose
Hell man that's where all your money goes.
Then you start ripping off your friends,
Hell yeah man that's where my story ends
Going around to your Mum and Dads
Sticking all their valuables into bags.
Going around to the hockshop
So once again man you can go and get ripped off
But what your looking for inside
It's up jumped gone and died
Don't your see your wrongs
They can't all be right.
Can't you see your days,
They've turned into night.
Can't you see the sun,
Can't you see the moon,
Can't you see that Karma will be coming for you.
Hello!
Ripping off your friends,
Now I don't mind just a little indulgence,
But you gotta do it with a conscience.
Now all your into is drugs.
Talking your shit man hanging with thugs.
Speed equals confidence imagine that
But you be acting like a spoiled brat,
Thinking that everythings your way
Getting what you want but you don't have to pay
Don't listen to a word anyone say .
Your gonna wind up in the lockup some day ~
Hello!
07 Bound to Ramble (06:07)
I walk for miles.
Circumnavigate these lands.
Walking blindly,
Holding out my hands.
And I pass the stones
That remind me why I'm here.
I follow the setting sun
And you were there.
Don't you see what she done to me.
I was running blind but now I can be
And if theres just one sign
Hell you know I can see.
Girl I was ment for you,
You were ment for me ,
Her teachings in everyday
And boy I know she ain't preaching
But I feel the need to pray.
She like the ocean size
Pounding on my shores.
Knocking down my walls ,
opening up all my doors.
I'm Bound to Ramble
All my days with another…
10 Zebra (03:57)
I could be loud man I could be silent
I could be young man or I could be old
I could be a gentleman or I could be violent
I could turn hot man or I could be cold
I could be just like the calm before the storm boy waiting for all hell yeah to break loose
I could be innocent or I could be guilty
Doesn't mean that I won't believe in the music I'm singing
I could be rich like a wondering gypsy
I could be poor like a fat wallet lost
I could be the first man or I could come last
It's not who breaks the ribbon boy it's how you get across
I could be red blue black or white sunset as dark as a day boy or bright as a night
I could be the sun boy or I could be the moon
I made it from the stars boy I'm shining so bright so I'm singing
I could be asleep or I could be awake
I could be alive man or be the walking dead
I could be ignorant or I could be informed (yes sir)
I could lead my life man or I could be lead
I could be anything I put my mind to boy all I gotta do is give myself half a chance
I could bring love back into my life
And share it with the world if I got some balance
12 Oldman (05:10)
Old man he looks out the window
You know he gets quite a fright.
Whole world has gone and changed on him
Feels like it was overnight.
He saw a world war yeah it came and went
The man walked on the moon right there in his living room
Saw that TV become a relgion ,
The Wall came down and Big Mac beat the communists.
Feels like it was overnight.
Old man looks out the window
You know he can not open it anymore.
The air outside its gone to rancid
And the doctor said for him you know it wouldn't be so good for
He saw a hole start opening up in the sky
He's buying water man he doesn't even know why
The smog alerts don't let him even go outside
And then he start he start to think
When the Earth it start to die.
Feel like it was overnight
Enjoy your last.
Last taste of freedom!
Old man he looks out the window
You know he does not feel so safe anymore.
he come from those supposed good ole days
When you did not even have to go lock your doors
He saw security man look Police man
Saw the Police start looking like the Army Man,
He saw Army start acting like the C.I.A
And guess what, the C.I.A was the president.
Feels like it was overnight
Enjoy your last.
Last taste of freedom!
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Other reviews
By Surferkangaroo
John Butler is someone who knows how to play with the slide, and he does it with incredible personality, without ever diving into pure country but navigating within a square with country, pop, blues, and rock as its sides.
The sinusoidal trend of the entire work does not allow for a fully positive judgment, but at the same time, the peaks reached at certain moments give an idea of the trio’s possibilities.
