Deadly Hearts
Author: Seth Jordan
View album and artist detailsAlbum and Artist Details
Artist/band: |
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Label: |
ABC Music |
Magazine Review Date: |
March/2018 |
A tribute album of cover versions of iconic Australian indigenous-oriented songs that have impacted on younger Aboriginal musicians, Deadly Hearts is a patchwork of worthy efforts and near-misses.
New hip-hop versions dominate the compilation, with Philly's ‘Yil Lull’, written by Joe Geia, and Jimblah's updated Warumpi Band classic ‘My Island Home’ being the best. Women artists are underrepresented, but Emily Wurramara's gentle version of the old Coloured Stone rocker ‘Black Boy’ is a welcome inclusion, as is Dhapanbal Yunupingu's ‘Maralitja’ – a tune by the singer's father, Yothu Yindi founder Dr M Yunupingu. Legendary folkie Kev Carmody adds his own impassioned vocals to rapper Daen's modern stylings on ‘River of Fearz’. Two young Arnhem Land singers, Yirrmal and Gawurra, both acquit themselves well, adding traditional Yolgnu vocals to Warumpi's ‘Blackfella Whitefella’ and Cold Chisel's ‘When the War is Over’.
Other ‘whitefella’-penned songs closely associated with indigenous issues include Midnight Oil's ‘The Dead Heart’, covered here by Alice Springs duo Apakatjah, and Goanna Band's anthemic ‘Solid Rock’ reworked by Brisbane's Robbie Miller. With the exception of Gawurra's tune, it's difficult to find a version here that's actually an improvement on the original. But as an acknowledgment of influences Deadly Hearts is a respectful high-five from one generation to another.
New hip-hop versions dominate the compilation, with Philly's ‘Yil Lull’, written by Joe Geia, and Jimblah's updated Warumpi Band classic ‘My Island Home’ being the best. Women artists are underrepresented, but Emily Wurramara's gentle version of the old Coloured Stone rocker ‘Black Boy’ is a welcome inclusion, as is Dhapanbal Yunupingu's ‘Maralitja’ – a tune by the singer's father, Yothu Yindi founder Dr M Yunupingu. Legendary folkie Kev Carmody adds his own impassioned vocals to rapper Daen's modern stylings on ‘River of Fearz’. Two young Arnhem Land singers, Yirrmal and Gawurra, both acquit themselves well, adding traditional Yolgnu vocals to Warumpi's ‘Blackfella Whitefella’ and Cold Chisel's ‘When the War is Over’.
Other ‘whitefella’-penned songs closely associated with indigenous issues include Midnight Oil's ‘The Dead Heart’, covered here by Alice Springs duo Apakatjah, and Goanna Band's anthemic ‘Solid Rock’ reworked by Brisbane's Robbie Miller. With the exception of Gawurra's tune, it's difficult to find a version here that's actually an improvement on the original. But as an acknowledgment of influences Deadly Hearts is a respectful high-five from one generation to another.
