Here's the review:
Let this album, Human Veins, flow through you and feel its effects; Alex Hallahan is ready to surprise one with each new release and for an independent artist his work is amongst the most outstanding and is definitely of an international standard. One can feel the energy which has been put into the album as well as the energy it exudes; the musicianship is exemplary and having followed Alex from the early days, his musical growth and maturity has exceeded his years.
Orbiting has the classical influences of both Neil Young and Cat Stevens but is very much Alex's work - it has his stamp of authority on it and is very much a work of his own. I'll Be Walking By has some of the best guitar playing on it that I have heard for ages; Alex has this knack of moulding his music around his lyrics in a way no other can and the lyrics speak for themselves.
Throughout the album one is given good value as the majority of tracks are over 4 minutes long and yet their length holds one entranced with the content; at no time can one say, well this track could have been shortened.
Any Way You Look At It has to be one of the best songs about communication and everybody will be able to readily relate to it; some of it might appear a little tongue in cheek, but Alex gets away with this via the use of clever lyrics.
Morning's Sweet Song gives Alex and The Woodland Hunters time to display their musical tightness with a light instrumental number.
Not The Devil, Not The Nun is very much a neo-folk song with a great organ performance throughout giving a slightly free jazz feel to the number as well; on top of this Anna Struth's vocals neatly tie the whole package together. The genre of this number is hard to define (and doesn't deserve boxing in, anyhow) but if Pentangle were still about and performing, I would highly recommend this number to them.
Fire if You Want It has that laid back 'Southern' feel to it and I can well imagine this number drifting out of windows in downtown Memphis; the interplay between the organ and lead guitar is superb and makes one wonder if this is truly an Australian track. The bass comes tumbling through and the percussion is spot on whilst Alex's vocals weave in and out of the musical interplay.
Nothing Stops the Rain opens with some great brush playing on the drums and there is a slight crossover country feel to the track, which again highlights Alex's song writing abilities.
To me, this really is Alex's moment and the Woodland Hunters appear to have managed to adapt to his style and give a greater musical fluidity to the whole album - a bit like Bob Dylan when he first recorded with the Band. Quite a comparison I know, but every now and then an album leaps out at you demanding to be played and listened to; this is that album.
Orbiting has the classical influences of both Neil Young and Cat Stevens but is very much Alex's work - it has his stamp of authority on it and is very much a work of his own. I'll Be Walking By has some of the best guitar playing on it that I have heard for ages; Alex has this knack of moulding his music around his lyrics in a way no other can and the lyrics speak for themselves.
Throughout the album one is given good value as the majority of tracks are over 4 minutes long and yet their length holds one entranced with the content; at no time can one say, well this track could have been shortened.
Any Way You Look At It has to be one of the best songs about communication and everybody will be able to readily relate to it; some of it might appear a little tongue in cheek, but Alex gets away with this via the use of clever lyrics.
Morning's Sweet Song gives Alex and The Woodland Hunters time to display their musical tightness with a light instrumental number.
Not The Devil, Not The Nun is very much a neo-folk song with a great organ performance throughout giving a slightly free jazz feel to the number as well; on top of this Anna Struth's vocals neatly tie the whole package together. The genre of this number is hard to define (and doesn't deserve boxing in, anyhow) but if Pentangle were still about and performing, I would highly recommend this number to them.
Fire if You Want It has that laid back 'Southern' feel to it and I can well imagine this number drifting out of windows in downtown Memphis; the interplay between the organ and lead guitar is superb and makes one wonder if this is truly an Australian track. The bass comes tumbling through and the percussion is spot on whilst Alex's vocals weave in and out of the musical interplay.
Nothing Stops the Rain opens with some great brush playing on the drums and there is a slight crossover country feel to the track, which again highlights Alex's song writing abilities.
To me, this really is Alex's moment and the Woodland Hunters appear to have managed to adapt to his style and give a greater musical fluidity to the whole album - a bit like Bob Dylan when he first recorded with the Band. Quite a comparison I know, but every now and then an album leaps out at you demanding to be played and listened to; this is that album.
