Bernard Fanning is best known as the lead singer/songwriter of Australia's Powderfinger, but on his first solo album he's jettisoned his band's radio-friendly power pop for vintage country-folk, circa 1971. And "country-folk" really is the operative term here, not alt-country, Americana, or any other hip label that may have originated in the past 20 years, because Bernard Fanning's influences are strictly old school. Like a reprise of Stephen Stills' Manassas or Elton John's Tumbleweed Connection, Fanning's solo debut is awash in well-constructed pop songs that are dressed up with mandolins, Dobros, and fiddles. There's a country veneer, but scratch beneath the surface and you'll find some sturdy pop hooks and the kind of laid-back hippie sentiments that wouldn't sound out of place on early-'70s FM radio. Co-produced by Fanning and Tchad Blake (Tom Waits, Crowded House, Peter Gabriel), Tea & Sympathy's 14 songs span the classic country-folk spectrum. The opening "Thrill Is Gone" and later "Hope & Validation" both feature the kind of yearning, soaring vocals and infectious melodies that John tossed off regularly early in his career, while lead single "Wish You Well" and "Sleeping Rough" strongly recall Stills' work, both solo and with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. "Wash Me Clean" and closing track "Watch Over Me" show off Fanning's sensitive folkie side, all Jackson Browne earnestness and regret. Fanning is a fine, soulful singer, sounding at times remarkably like an Australian Stephen Stills, and his vocal presence alone merits attention. He also has an easy way with pop hooks. His songwriting is a little too nondescript to register deeply, though. "Thrill Is Gone," "Songbird," "Further Down the Road," and "Yesterday's Gone" all have to be in the running for Most Generic Song Title of All Time, and the sad-sack sentiments of most of these songs of loss and regret don't really improve the recognition factor. It all adds up to a pleasant, well-crafted, and somewhat slight effort.
Didn't know where to start with this one? It'd be such a cliche to harp on about another unrecognised songwriting talent, so I'll just say that Bernard Fanning solo album was sorely overlooked in every country but his own. For those who don't know him, Bernard is also the frontman as Australia's biggest band - Powderfinger.His solo album - Tea & Sympathy - has it all. Heart, soul, tears and tan...
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I never ceased to be amazed at how good songwriters have that uncanny ability to take situations that everyone has gone through in their life and put a fresh spin on it, set it to a 4 minute piece of music, and leave me awestruck. Take this Bernard Fanning song for instance...A favorite lyric from this one:"I looked deep into the heart of you...its a mesmerizing view"
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Bernard Fanning’s tea-stained, old-fashioned photograph on Tea & Sympathy, makes me swoon, the same goes for his music.Fanning, known to most, but not all, is the front man for the Australian group Powderfinger. Bernard Fanning was the most played artist on Australian radio in 2006, winning numerous awards – Best Male Artist, Album of the Year, Songwriter of the Year – the album has gone fiv
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According to Powderfinger's bio, they are the most successful Australian rock band in the past decade. A big statement indeed, and I still have to admit that I don't have even one of their records. I guess maybe I was just never quite turned on? Just recently, however, a friend of mine (he lived in Australia for a while) turned me on to Bernard Fanning. Maybe it's the more low-key nature of...
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for the first three days that I had the new Bernard Fanning album, I basically devoured it. I listened to it 6 times in the first 24 hour period (including 8 hours of sleep and 8 hours of work). it completes me.I wanted this cd because (a) Bernard Fanning is the lead singer of Powderfinger, who I love and (b) it is on Lost Highway Records.now it's like neither of those facts matter because it...
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I never ceased to be amazed at how good songwriters have that uncanny ability to take situations that everyone has gone through in their life and put a fresh spin on it, set it to a 4 minute piece of music, and leave me awestruck. Take this Bernard Fanning song for instance...A favorite lyric from this one:"I looked deep into the heart of you...its a mesmerizing view"
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but I feel as though I should post something before I head out to my town's own little Woodstock, we call it Comfest. You know, just in case I get ran over by a pack of hippies or in case I choke on some sort of fried food on a stick...i would hate myself if I didn't leave you all with one last great song!So here is one of of Bernard Fanning's 'Tea and Sympathy'....great song, great record.
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I visited myspace today and Bernard Fanning had not long put this vid up, Hes one of my Fav Aussie artists and Kasey Chambers is there to boot, not sure who the other Lady is but no doubt another musical luminary, ..........................truth is Mozilla wont let me copy and paste and Im helpless to change that due to a lack of puter skills, give me a welder or a shovel or even bee smoker and...
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I stumbled on this guys cd in a music shop,I had heard Powderfinger(the ausiie rock band he sings with) but I was more than surprised to hear what he did in his solo career tea and sympathy is a great cd, filled up with love my baby songs that I would usually take the piss out of but they are done so well. Anyway I caught him live in a small pub in Wellington and it was one of those shows tha...
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for the first three days that I had the new Bernard Fanning album, I basically devoured it. I listened to it 6 times in the first 24 hour period (including 8 hours of sleep and 8 hours of work). it completes me.I wanted this cd because (a) Bernard Fanning is the lead singer of Powderfinger, who I love and (b) it is on Lost Highway Records.now it's like neither of those facts matter because it...
More >
According to Powderfinger's bio, they are the most successful Australian rock band in the past decade. A big statement indeed, and I still have to admit that I don't have even one of their records. I guess maybe I was just never quite turned on? Just recently, however, a friend of mine (he lived in Australia for a while) turned me on to Bernard Fanning. Maybe it's the more low-key nature of...
More >
Didn't know where to start with this one? It'd be such a cliche to harp on about another unrecognised songwriting talent, so I'll just say that Bernard Fanning solo album was sorely overlooked in every country but his own. For those who don't know him, Bernard is also the frontman as Australia's biggest band - Powderfinger.His solo album - Tea & Sympathy - has it all. Heart, soul, tears and tan...
More >
Bernard Fanning’s tea-stained, old-fashioned photograph on Tea & Sympathy, makes me swoon, the same goes for his music.Fanning, known to most, but not all, is the front man for the Australian group Powderfinger. Bernard Fanning was the most played artist on Australian radio in 2006, winning numerous awards – Best Male Artist, Album of the Year, Songwriter of the Year – the album has gone fiv
More >
Bernard Fanning, singer and songwriter (Powderfinger) sang this with Kasey Chambers and Claire Bowditch at the 2006 ARIA awards (Australian Grammy Award equivalent). My sweetie from down under sent this to me once when I was feeling blue.. it brought me to tears... ... hope it touches you.Cheers, INdy x
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Thrill Is Gone |
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| 2 Wish You Well |
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| 3 Not Finished Just Yet |
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| 4 Songbird |
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| 5 Believe |
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| 6 Which Way Home? |
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| 7 Wash Me Clean |
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| 8 Hope & Validation |
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| 9 Sleeping Rough |
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| 10 The Strangest Thing |
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| 11 Further Down the Road |
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| 12 Down to the River |
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| 13 Yesterday's Gone |
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| 14 Watch Over Me |
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Click to purchase…
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 "Tea & Sympathy")
