From Bea:

Review of My Hand My Heart

2/2/06

For publication on Murphsplace.

My reactions to My Hand My Heart are now necessarily colored by my first trip to Australia and seeing the music performed live, both in Le Thor and up and down the Gold Coast. I’m not a technically analytical music lover, with not much formal musical education and having performed only as a singer, so discussing instrumentation isn’t my forte. What I’ve learned about music comes from working with musical acts for the past 30 years. So this wont be a detailed commentary on the musicality of the album, I come to it from a personal intellectual and emotional perspective.

The first time I heard TOFOG1 was Gaslight in late spring 2000 after learning that Russell had a band. Because I liked what I heard, I went to the last Austin concert at Stubbs. Despite all the physical problems of that show, I thoroughly enjoyed the live performance and to this day am convinced that the only true measure of Russell’s music is to hear it live.

In my mind, the recorded music has become progressively more personal thru BLOC and OWOS to this one. And I’m using the 12 track version as MHMH, I think the newest tracks really round out the album.

When I heard Gaslight I felt the way I did the first time I heard Neil Finn (My possessions are causing me suspicion but there's no proof ) or Sting – who could resist a lyricist who could pen “caught between a Scylla and Charybdus?” Someone who could say “No one in my heart is going to call me from the other room Expecting me to move” had my full attention. MHMH is also full of wonderful lyrics, I’ve always been fascinated by how Russell’s mind works and the poetry of his songs is infinitely appealing.

My Hand My Heart is an interesting potpourri of musical styles –jump started by the talented Alan Doyle. I first became aware of GBS because of TOFOG1’s version of “How Do I Get.” But I quickly found that I preferred Russell’s version, much like I prefer his “Folsom Prison Blues” – while the originals were good, the TOFOG versions pulse with a different energy.

And that’s what shines thru MHMH for me, the energy and passion in every line. Yes, the live versions of all the songs are better, but absent that, the album is a journey thru the life of a master storyteller. “Weight of a Man” is a poignant and revealing song of love – from a man who knows himself too well. It’s tempting to react to the lyrics by thinking, despite them, how lucky his wife is, but the song is a tribute to what real marriage is like, the bad with the good.

“How Did We Get” is obviously about a love affair that died, why we don’t know, but it’s over. Speculation on why Russell chose to sing it brings some specific mental pictures to my mind, but it applies to everyone’s life. “Land of the Second Chance” is a peon to the frontier spirit that lives in Australia as it once did in America – the chance to make a new life and find new love. Of course, I can’t listen to this song without fondly recalling the “Ruuussell, sit to Mario!” story. As the child of Italian immigrants I hear my relatives’ tones in every line.

Now “Raewyn” is a special song – and when Russell said at the Vanguard that it was the first song he & Alan wrote and the reason they wrote more, it’s even more touching. I cried the first time I heard it and it continues to tear me up. There’s an awful amount of young death in the Antipodes and obviously Russell has been touched by these (and other) losses. As a mother of sons I’m inordinately moved by “a son needs to say it when he loves his mother.” This song is full of arresting visuals, from “her print top & her flares” to Jolly Jack drowning his grief. Russell uses it to stop the current live show cold, but cleverly turns it into a fond appreciation for his loved ones, specially the newest Charlie Crowe.

I’d like to meet “Mickey” – I grew up on Staten Island too, and at the same time as he did – but the song takes a turn almost immediately from being his story, to also being Russell’s. And it’s filled with lyrics that resonate with me and once again reveal so much about the person writing the song. I’d been listening to Rob Thomas’ Something to Be cd all summer so when I heard “I am my own invention” it was the counterpoint to Rob’s “but I’m not real anymore, I am an illusion”. Wow, talk about the wages of fame……..

I also thoroughly enjoy the other covers here; I’d not heard much of Nick Cave’s work and am now interested in hearing more after “Breathless”. I specially enjoy the tempo change in “One Good Year” – a perfect song for TOFOG2.

I’m particularly fond of “Miss My Mind” – it’s obvious why Russell would like it – relating to both a few years ago, and of course, about 2005, as he said from the stage in January. We’ve all had some crazy times in our lives so we understand, but using the classical motif from M&C is inspired. I have to mention how much I’ve always admired Stewie’s trumpet playing and how important it’s been to the changing sound of the band.

Russell’s voice is always unique - in a range of vocal strength, sometimes it’s rough, sometimes smooth, and sometimes uncomfortable – but always enjoyable. I have a few quibbles about diction and once in a while the vocal twang gets out of hand, but as always he delivers the emotional truth with style. Of course the music shines when the harmonies work, and having been lucky enough to hear them in person, (in “Mr., Harris” for example) they work wonderfully.

And finally there’s “Testify.” It’s disturbing to think that such a frustrating and maddening event generated this terrific song, but from the first moment I heard it in Le Thor I knew that it’d be successful on many levels. It’s a great rocker/come to Jesus song. It’s redemption with a subversive twist – it’s the voice of a man facing a multi-faceted disaster and making the best of it. And it was the perfect song to introduce the ‘new’ band to fellow Aussies – and hopefully will do the same in March in America. More revealing lyrics: “…not the reddest handed bandit here, but …the one who’ll take the fall.” With the addition of the excellent Ms Hines, you gotta love it.

To end this totally subjective ‘review’ – this configuration of Russell’s band is top notch – each musician brings TOFOG2 to a new level. I have the songs playing in my head all the time – and seeing them performed in various venues to a wide variety of audiences was a totally delightful addition to a once-in-a-lifetime trip. I’m delighted they will visit the States – audiences may come for the ‘freak show’ but they will leave impressed.