Don McGlashan and The Seven Sisters - Marvellous Year
Don McGlashan, member to such bands as Blam Blam Blam, The Front Lawn and The Mutton Birds, has adopted his live backing band, The Seven Sisters (Chris O'Connor, Maree Thom, John Segovia and Dominic Blaazer), who toured with him in support of his last album "Warm Hand". These once touring companions now become part of the mix and add new elements to this Don's second solo album, "Marvellous Year".
The later half of "Marvellous Year" featuring the tracks "C2006P1" and "Radio Programmer" are definite indications of this new "band" sound, these tunes serve not only as a reminder to his noisier past, but provide us with a hint of what the live show and future material may have to offer.
But worry not, from the moments of the intimate beauty that is opener "The Switch" all those essential Don McGlashan songs and brilliant story telling are here, with those wonderful tales of family, love, life and death. To that end an absolute highlight is the brooding track "Bad Blood" in which he repeats the line "and The Tree's are turning red along the shore, and nothing is the same any more" which becomes more haunting and memorable each time you hear it.
Nearing the end of the album we find "Bathe in the River", his Silver Scroll winning song (originally sung by Hollie Smith on the No. 2. soundtrack), it now appears here in a stripped down reworking and becomes a nu-kiwi classic refreshed, the song has taken a breath of fresh air and sounds new and vibrant all over again.
Ultimately the best thing about Don McGlashan is that his music is always so timeless no matter what new form he may take, and most importantly throughout he stays relevant. "Marvellous Year" is filled with those wonderful moments reminding us why he is, The Don.
M.Jones
