Description
Edward Nass – Facebook Friends
CD review by Tony Smith – TN2570-91 – $20
TN168 Jan 25
The friends are Edward Nass on guitar and vox, Reid Stevens on bass and piano, Mark Lindsay lead guitar, Tom Steele drums and Wayne Murray on organ.
Stevens, Lindsay and Steele provide backing vocals as does Jan Dandridge.
Generally, Nass’ voice is clear so that the lyrics are unmistakeable.
Several tracks relate to email and the internet.
These include the title track ‘Facebook Friends’, ‘Well Connected Guy’ and in a roundabout way, ‘I Don’t Need Google’ – “because my wife knows everything”.
‘Should I Go Before I Go’ ponders on the great mystery of life and its end, which is usually untimely.
The relationship theme continues in ‘The Day I Slept With Tracey Bunn’, ‘These Tears’, ‘Drunk Girls’, ‘Working in the Yard’, ‘Working in the Home’, ‘Viagra’ and ‘Skinny Like Wayne’.
‘I Don’t Have to Shave Today’ and ‘Bumper Stickers’ are quite witty.
Perhaps for me, the best track musically is ‘Supermarket Blues’.
The walking bass and electric guitar combine well and the lyrics are good.
The first bars of each song are somewhat repetitive.
The bass opens with a ‘da-dum da-dum’ that is probably fine when the songs are heard individually as they might be in a live performance, but less so when they are lined up in succession, as on a CD.
The opening bars root the tunes firmly in the country genre.
You can picture a cowboy jumping into the saddle for yet another ride across the range.
There is a hidden track, ‘Memory Lane’, with the note: ‘because I wanted it recorded’.
This is quite a good song, expressing a strong idea.
I am not quite sure I understand why it is different.
Perhaps it was recorded live?
The slightly mischievous look in the eye of the bloke in the photo on the sleeve notes of this 2017 album gives some clue as to the general theme of these songs.
Here are tales of ageing Australian males in the twenty-first century, telling of some of the ironies we in that category can experience.
You do not have to agree with all the sentiments to appreciate the sharpness of these observations.
The little blue pill on the cover together with a thumbs-up sign show that the lyrics of these often self-effacing songs come from the ‘heart’.
There is nothing disguised by avatars.
Edward Nass is honest and open and this candour is the album’s main appeal.
I am Edward Nass, a story teller in song.
Embark on a musical journey with me where laughter is the melody and foot-tapping beats set the rhythm! As a folk singer-songwriter,
I craft ballads that paint the canvas of everyday life with strokes of humor, heart, and a dash of quirkiness.
With clever, witty lyrics, banter and toe tapping tunes, I certainly will have you chuckling or crying.
My variety of original songs are very relatable and with great humour and insight.
I will have you singing along and wondering if you should Go Before You Go’. Lol
