Bulldozed is an engrossing and riveting account of Australian political history and the events of the Coalition government in its third term from 2019 to 2022. Written by distinguished journalist and political correspondent Niki Savva, it chronicles the events of the Morrison Government from the Black Summer bushfires in 2019 to the Australian federal election in 2022 and its aftermath. Key events of the book covered include the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic; the issues with candidate preselections within the NSW Liberal Party; the sexual assault allegations in Parliament House; the issues of climate change and the religious discrimination bill in Parliament; and the federal election campaigns of 2022 and aftermath from the perspectives of both the government and the opposition.
Thus there is a lot to cover in the three year time period of the book – and Savva relishes the minute details of the major political events, taking a magnifying glass to explain the accounts of events from prominent politicians, journalists, political staffers, public servants and insiders of the so called ‘Canberra bubble’, and those beyond it. The book’s core strength is Savva’s access to the insiders and people in Canberra, and their accounts and stories give the book a strong sense of authenticity and realism.
The picture painted is a grim and unpleasant one of the former Prime Minister – with relentless attacks on Scott Morrison and his government in office. In the first chapter alone he is described as “secretive and that he lied; that he was stubborn; that he bullied people; that even if he sought advice, he seldom took it; and that he had little interest in policy.” This is continued with “[He] was a deeply flawed personality” and “a duplicitous, damaged leader with limited horizons and appalling judgement” who “rarely understood what Australians expected of a prime minister.” Prepare the fireworks and popcorn – this one is a political grenade on the Morrison Government.
It is an engrossing and fascinating read of how, as political editor Peter Harcher describes, “he bulldozed his party into electoral oblivion” over a 3 year period, starting with the Black Summer bushfires in 2019. Time and again she recounts of how Morrison’s “appalling judgement” lead to the despair, anguish and anger of those inside and outside the government and the Liberal Party on matters of policy, governance and leadership. Highlighting this is the troubled war in the NSW Liberal Party over candicate preselections for the 2022 federal election, and the widening gap between moderates and conservatives over policy within the Government and the party.
This is complemented by the rise and emergence of Anthony Albanese, the Labor Party and the independent teals during the election campaign, who campaigned on three major issues – justice for women, climate change, and integrity in Parliament – all of which the government failed to address in its time in office.
The second half of the book covers the election campaign of 2022, and offers a unique inside into the Labor Party and its (then) shadow ministers, and their journey towards polling day on 21 May 2022. Savva’s insider knowledge and contacts come into play here, making it an interesting primary account of events from the politicians and staffers. Also covered is the increase in the Greens vote and the rise of the teals across Australia, who won seats from traditional blue Liberal electorates. Morrison’s secret portfolio scandal and its aftermath are also covered, when he secretly had himself sworn as minister of five portfolios during the pandemic. Finally, the aftermath of the election is also examined from both Liberal and Labor Party headquarters. In true Canberra spirit, there are also some hilarious moments within the book that I won’t spoil (check the chapter titles for hints).
Unfortunately there is a distinct disinterest in regards to the policy and governance of the Morrison Government, and in particular in matters of foreign affairs, defence, and social services (e.g. the Robodebt scheme). It seems Savva is more interested in political gossip and the people, rather than the overarching foundations of Parliament, such as bills, legislation and policy for ordinary Australians. The tone of the book is also informal and driven by people’s accounts and stories rather than the bigger political events. Given the large amount of characters within the book, an index would also have been beneficial.
Nonetheless Bulldozed is a riveting and well researched book into the events and downfall of the Morrison Government that will be studied by political analysts and historians for years to come. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the politics and governance of modern Australia.
Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship.
Denzel Washington
Denzel winning his second Oscar for Best Actor – Training Day – Academy Awards 2002
American actor and filmmaker Denzel Washington has been on our screens for over four decades. This month, I take a look and review some of his hit films…
The Equalizer (2014)
Director: Antoine Fuqua
A hugely enjoyable and entertaining action film, even if the story and characters are a tad cliched and have been done before in other films. The plot is a typical ‘old man with military skills comes out of retirement to avenge someone he loves‘ akin to films like John Wick and Taken. However, the execution of the plot is brilliantly orchestrated with a towering performance from Denzel Washington and masterful direction from Antoine Fuqua. There are some brilliant lines and quotes from Denzel when he’s dispensing his ‘vigilante justice’, complemented by some ingeniously violent (and entertaining) action sequences. The electronic soundtrack, written by composer Harry Gregson-Williams, is also excellent, giving the film’s action and character scenes a contemporary feel.
Rating: 7/10
The Equalizer 2 (2018)
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Unfortunately, an inferior and disappointing sequel on almost every account compared to the original. The action sequences, direction and acting remain excellent but the story and plot is boring, unengaging and badly written, almost giving off a ‘Denzel goes off to resolve different people’s problems‘ vibe. There is a great cast in this film (Pedro Pascal, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo) but the story doesn’t give them much to do and ultimately the film becomes more bland and convoluted. The third act and climactic battle sequences are however wonderfully shot, with a killer line from Denzel:
‘I’m gonna kill each and every one of you. And the only disappointment in it for me is that I only get to do it once.’
Rating: 3/10
Flight (2012)
Director: Robert Zemeckis
A compelling and engrossing drama film about a man’s battle with alcohol addiction, and the way in which it can distort people’s lives. Part action, part character study, Flight tells the story of how Captain Whip Whittaker (Denzel Washington) manages to miraculously crash land a plane from almost certain death but faces serious questions about his conduct before and during the flight. The opening 10-15 minute plane sequence, is absolutely terrifying and engrossing. The acting and screenwriting throughout is outstanding – particularly a scene in a hospital stairwell. Another highlight is the developing relationship between Whip and Nicole Maggen (Kelly Reilly), a recovering heroin addict, who tries to remain alcohol and drug-free whilst also to help and support Whip. However, the shining light undoubtedly is Denzel Washington in one of his career-defining performances on a harrowing personal journey that really makes the audience feel, empathise, cry and laugh with him throughout the film.
Rating: 8/10
Man on Fire (2004)
Director: Tony Scott
Hugely underrated and unknown by most audiences, Man on Fire is one of Denzel’s best action films. The storyline is a typical ‘action man goes on a rampage taking down gangsters and criminals after someone he loves is kidnapped‘, but this is a riveting and intense experience, brilliantly directed by action maestro Tony Scott. At the core of the film is the relationship between John W. Creasy (Denzel Washington), and the girl he’s instructed to protect, Pita (Dakota Fanning), and it is wonderful how their relationship develops and how Creasy becomes to mellow, love and care for Pita over time. The filming locations in Mexico City also give the film a somewhat grimy, dark and realist vibe that tell a story that could happen in real life. The second half of the film, where Creasy goes after the criminal syndicate, is incredibly riveting and compelling, and is a product of post 9/11 cinema. This is arguably Washington’s most intense acting performance in an action film and is highly recommended.
Rating: 9/10
Training Day (2001)
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Academy Award Winner 2001 – Best Actor: Denzel Washington
A young and ambitious rookie cop, Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) has been assigned to Los Angeles Detective Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington), head of the narcotics team, for a one day evaluation. As the day progresses and the assignments become more dangerous, Hoyt starts to see his day as less of a test and more of a masterful, deadly set-up…
A gritty, violent, engrossing and thought provoking crime thriller. The film overall is well executed and made with a winning combination of exellent and stylish direction from Antoine Fuqua, an authentic, realistic and intriguing script from screenwriter David Ayer, and an outstanding and incredible perfomance from lead actor Denzel Washington.
The film’s core is the relationship between Alonzo Harris and Jake Hoyt, and how it changes throughout the course of the film as both characters are pushed towards more dangerous and unlawful assignments and tasks. There is also a strong tone of realism in the film, in that Fuqua actually filmed on location in some of the most dangerous neighbourhoods of LA, with support from members of the community and the police. This enhances the action scenes and supporting characters of the film, increasing the stakes for its protagonists and the dangers that they face. Key to this is Ethan Hawke’s performance as Jake Hoyt – it is incredible to see his transformation throughout the film from a fresh naive rookie cop, towards a hardened officer with an understanding of the realities of the criminal justice system. The film asks some hard questions, and rarely gives any easy answers or solutions. Its only real disappointment is the ending, which feels somewhat detached from the rest of the film in its implausability. Nonetheless Training Day is still an incredible and gritty film with one of Washington’s finest performances in his career.
Note – the 4K Ultra HD edition is being released by Warner Bros. Entertainment on 28 February 2023 (US) and is highly recommended.
Rating: 8/10
The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)
Director: Tony Scott
A group of armed men hijack a New York City subway train and hold the passengers ransom demanding $10 million dollars, with MTA dispatcher Walter Garber (Denzel Washington) eventually being made chief negotiator. It’s an intriguing premise thats been done before, in Joseph Sargeant’s The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), but here director Tony Scott has updated the storyline to the 21st century featuring the Internet, web cams, the stock market, and the 24/7 media, all hallmarks of a modern mertropolitan city.
Unfortunately, the film is let down by an average script with characters that lack emotional depth, with little in terms of spark, impact and tension when it comes to the hostages and kidnapping situations. The main and supporting cast are all let down with the script. Denzel Washington does his best as civil servant Walter Garber, who’s story is not as black and white as it seems. John Travolta gives a…strange performance as chief hijacker Ryder, but feels horribly miscast with an over the top performance with excessive profanity and violence, never really given the opportunity to explore his motivations, backstory or character in depth. The cat and mouse scenes between Washington and Travolta are excellent and somewhat engrossing but the tension unfortunately does fizzle towards the film’s climax. The supporting cast of John Turturro and James Gandolfini as hostage negotiator Camonetti and New York City mayor are good in their roles but aren’t given much to do sadly.
Overall the film seems to have sacraficed character development in lieu of mindless action sequences and its frenetic pace, which isn’t helped by Scott’s fast editing, saturated colours, obsessive camera shots, rap music, slow-mo and fast fowards. This tends to bewilder and confuse the audience rather than give the film some realism. The brainless action sequences around New York City are average (but funny) as well (note a police motorcycle crashes into a parked car), and have been done far better in Scott’s other films. The Taking of Pelham 123 is thus an entertaining watch that unfortunately derails as a result of its script. It’s like waiting for a train for 20 minutes, only to realise the train is missing half its carriages once you board.
Rating: 5/10
Unstoppable (2010)
Director: Tony Scott
Another brilliant and underrated action film from maestro Tony Scott. There’s an unstoppable runaway train with no driver, so veteran engineer Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington) and rookie conductor Will Colson (Chris Pine) are tasked with stopping it. There isn’t a moment wasted in the film’s 98 minute runtime, with the action starting only ten minutes into the film, and going full throttle from there til the end. As an action film it ticks all the boxes required – simple and easy to understand, entertaining, gripping and thrilling from start to finish for all audiences.
Director Tony Scott achieves two main objectives in the film brilliantly – one, emphasising the ordinary, everyday working class roots of its main characters who are faced with serious danger and peril; and two, laying out the catastrophic consequences of the situation if the train isnt stopped before it reaches larger towns and communities. Both Washington and Pine excell in their main roles as characters that must overcome their differences and work together to resolve the situation, whilst the supporting cast at HQ (Rosario Dawson, Kevin Dunn, Kevin Corrigan) are also good in trying to stop the train and seeking assistance from the authorities.
However, the film’s highlight by far is its action sequences and production design – everything here is real, be it the trains, the explosions, the crashes and the destruction, which is all filmed without CGI, and makes the film far more realistic and entertaining. As (sadly) Tony Scott’s final directed film, it certainly ended his career with a bang and is one his best (and underrated) films.
Rating: 8/10
Inside Man (2006)
Director: Spike Lee
A police detective, a bank robber, and a high-power broker enter high-stakes negotiations after the criminal’s brilliant heist spirals into a hostage situation. Clive Owen plays Dalton Russell, a bank robber on a mission of revenge and retribution. Swiftly he and his crew take over a Lower Manhattan bank, with Detectives Frazier and Mitchell being assigned to the case (Denzel Washington and Chiwitel Ejiofor). When bank chairman Arthur Case (Christopher Plummer) becomes aware of this, he recruits Manhattan powerbroker Madeline White (Jodie Foster) to protect his interests and secrets.
What appears to be a standard action crime thriller eventually unravels into something rather different and unconventional, testing the abilities and skills of its protagonists. You’ve been warned – there is a complex plot here with many twists and turns, but unfortunately the payoff and outcomes overall are bewildering, jarring and unsatisfying rather than entertaining. Overall this is a well made thriller and with good production values – the cast, direction, editing, production design and location filming are competent.
Unfortunately, the major issue is with the script from screenwriter Russell Gewirtz, which has a murky and unclear plot, never being sure of what story the film wants to tell in depth. I’m still not sure if Spike Lee wants the film to be an action thriller or a social commentary drama, but the combination here doesn’t work. Key to this is the thinly scripted characters – the lead actor trio of Washington, Owen and Foster are good in their roles, but the script lacks the character development and chemistry between them that is present in Denzel’s other films. In particular, the cat and mouse relationship between Washington and Owen’s characters is stilted due to their hollowness (you can see they’re trying their best though). There are also numerous plot holes throughout the film. The action sequences and twists are intense, well choreographed, shot and executed, but the stakes, tension and interest eventually fizzle out as the film progresses. Nonetheless there are some brilliant well crafted action scenes that make this a watchable film.
Rating: 6/10
Thanks for reading.
Andrew Reviews: Denzel Washington Movies – Part 2 is coming soon.
Tempus fugit – time flies. Here are some personal favourites from this year:
Best Album:The Tipping Point (Tears for Fears, 2022)
Best Book: The Avoidable War – The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict Between the US and Xi Jinping’s China (Kevin Rudd, 2022)
Best Film: The Batman (Matt Reeves, 2022)
Best Film (20th century): Heat (Michael Mann, 1995)
Best Song: Rich Minion (Yeat, 2022)
Best Soundtrack: Interstellar (Hans Zimmer, 2014)
and some other honourable mentions:
Most Underrated Album: Aphrodite (Kylie Minogue, 2010)
Most Underrated Film:Man on Fire (Tony Scott, 2004)
Most Underrated Soundtrack: The Wind Rises (Joe Hisaishi, 2013)
Most Underrated Sport Tournament: ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup New Zealand 2022
Sporting Moment of the Year: Argentina winning the FIFA World Cup on penalties vs France (3-3 a.e.t., Argentina wins on penalties 4-2)
Victory of the Year: Anthony Albanese winning the Australian federal election in May 2022, being the fourth Labor leader to win government from opposition since World War II
17 years since their last album, 80s new-wave pop duo Tears for Fears return with The Tipping Point, which might be their best album yet.
The seventh album from Tears for Fears, The Tipping Point, is in many ways a curious and unusual album release. For one, it arrives almost two decades after their last album, Everyone Loves a Happy Ending (2004), with a musical absence littered with only deluxe reissues of their back catalogue over the past decade. Another oddity is that The Tipping Point often emanates and mirrors the sound and themes of their debut album, The Hurting (1983), in viewing the world through pain, suffering and loss – although this time differently as older, wiser, and tougher men. Finally, it seems (much like this writer) the duo developed writers block concurrently with creative differences towards their management record company for many years, resulting in long delayed and stalled songs. Given all of these barriers and challenges, it is all the more remarkable that The Tipping Point is nothing short of a modern masterpiece.
The ten songs on this album all explore themes of life, society, time and pain through the perspectives of band members Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, giving it a somewhat philosophical feel. This is complemented by brilliant songwriting, masterful production and arragements, and luscious intrumentation throughout. Every song on the album has its own unique sound that sounds like no other, yet together there is a musical harmony, like jigsaw pieces in a puzzle.
Opening song No Small Thing slowly moves from a simple country acoustic track into an electro synthpop extravaganza of sound production, and is a powerful and masterful beginning to the album. Themes of grief, sadness and mortality are explored on the title song (and lead single) The Tipping Point, with its electronic uptempo tone dealing with the decline and death of Orzabal’s wife Caroline, prior to the album’s recording – “Life is cruel, life is tough / Life is crazy, then it all turns to dust…” These themes are further explored in the track Please Be Happy, a mournful ballad captivating Orzabal’s anguish and faith, complemented by some gorgeous piano, strings and a solo trumpet.
Elsewhere on the album there is also socio-political commentary in keeping with today’s contemporary world. Break the Man explores the recent #MeToo movement and women taking on the patriarchy, acting as a feminist anthem and a loose sequel to their 80’s hit Woman in Chains with Oleta Adams. The brilliant Beatles-eque Master Plan is a poke against their former management label, but also acts as a philosophical debate between free will and determinism, complete with soaring vocals and synths. The album’s highlight, Rivers of Mercy, explores the discontent, turbulence and madness of our current world in a gorgeous gospel-soul ballad with soothing vocals and choir. Finally, the electronic and lively End of Night explores the winds of change blowing over the past, signifying the ‘end of night’ and the beginning of a new dawn.
The CD Deluxe Edition comes with a 3-panel foldout sleeve and a bonus track titled Secret Location, a relaxing pop song that feels somehow comtemporary and nostalgic at the same time.
CD Deluxe Edition
The Tipping Point is triumph of songwriting and sound by two veteran musicians who have lost none of their shine despite their recent inactivity. It is a culmination of the musical, socio-political and emtional themes they have cherished since their career beginnings in the 1980s, and is a message of hope and rejuvination in these troubled times. Listening to it is a tender, contemplative, and enveloping experience, and it’s undoutedly one of the best albums of 2022.
Change: nothing inherently bad in the process, nothing inherently good in the result.
Marcus Aurelius
The personal writings of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121 – 180 A.D.), conventionally known as Meditations, are today one of the most widely known and read works of ancient philosophy by audiences across the world. Written in Greek as a source of personal consolation, guidance and self improvement, without any intention of publication, the 12 books of Meditations offer a remarkable series of spiritual reflections and exercises as the emperor struggled to understand himself, and make sense of the universe. The topics and themes covered include reflections on the mind, the body, the soul, the universe, the gods, nature, pain, time, death, and one’s sense of duty and purpose in life. Rather than try to offer another review of this work (there are hundreds, if not thousands of those elsewhere online), I thought I would list my 20 favourite quotes from Marcus below as a source of inspiration to others.
The following quotes, in no particular order, are from the Penguin Classics edition first published in 2006, translated by Martin Hammond.
When you are reluctant to get up from your sleep, remind yourself that it is in your constitution and man’s nature to perform social acts, whereas sleep is something you share with dumb animals. Now what accords with the nature of each being is thereby the more closely related to it, the more in its essence, and indeed the more to its liking. 8.12
Good or ill for the rational social being lies not in feeling but in action: just as also his own virtue or vice shows not in what he feels, but what he does. 9.16.
Remove the judgement, and you have removed the thought ‘I am hurt’: remove the thought ‘I am hurt’, and the hurt itself is removed. 4.7.
The best revenge is not to be like your enemy. 6.6.
Perfection of character is this: To live each day as if it were your last, without frenzy, without apathy, without pretence. 7.69.
From Severus: to have conceived the idea of a balanced constitution, a commonwealth based on equality and freedom of speech, and of a monarchy which values above all the liberty of the subject; from him, too, a constant and vigorous respect for philosophy, beneficence, unstinting generosity, optimism; his confidence in the affection of his friends, his frankness with those met in his censure, and open likes and dislikes, so that his friends did not need to guess at his wishes. 1.14.
If someone can prove me wrong and show me my mistake in any thought or action, I shall gladly change. I seek the truth, which never harmed anyone: the harm is to persist in one’s own self deception and ignorance. 6.21.
Do not be ashamed of help. It is your task to achieve your assigned duty, like a soldier in a scaling party. What, then, if you are lame and cannot climb the parapet by yourself, butthis is made possible by another’s help? 7.7.
If it is not right, don’t do it, if it is not true, don’t say it. 12.17.
Have I done something for the common good? Then I too have benefited. Have this thought always ready to hand: and no stopping. 11.4.
Do not imagine that, if something is hard for you to achieve, it is impossible therefore for every man: but rather consider anything that is humanly possible and appropriate to lie within your grasp too. 6.19.
Say to yourself first thing in the morning: Today I shall meet people who are meddling, ungrateful, aggressive, treacherous, malicious, unsocial. All this has afflicted them through their ignorance of good and evil. But I have seen the nature of good is what is right, and the nature of evil what is wrong, and I have reflected that the nature of the offender is akin to my own – not a kinship of blood or seed, but a sharing in the same mind, the same fragment of divinity. Therefore I cannot be harmed by any of them, as none will infect me with their wrong. Nor can I be angry with my kinsman or hate him. We were built for cooperation, like feet, like hands, like eyelids, like the rows of upper and lower teeth. So to work in opposition to one another is against nature: and anger or rejection is opposition. 2.1.
Love the art in which you have learnt, and take comfort in it. Go through the remainder of your life in sincere commitment of all your being to the gods, and never making yourself tyrant or slave to any man. 4.29.
Do not dream of possession which you do not have: rather reflect on the greatest blessings in what you do have, and on their account remind yourself how much they would have been missed if they were not there. But at the same time you must be careful to not let your pleasure in them habituate you to dependency, to avoid distress if they are sometimes absent. 7.27.
When another blames you or hates you, or people voice similar criticisms, go to their souls, penetrate inside and see what sort of people they are. You will realize that there is no need to be racked with anxiety that they should hold any particular opinion about you. But you should still be kind to them. They are by nature your friends, and the gods too help them in various ways – dreams and divination – at least to the objects of their concern. 9.27.
Whenever you want to cheer yourself, think of the qualities of your fellows – the energy of one, for example, the decency of another, the generosity of a third, some other merit in a fourth. There is nothing so cheering as the stamp of virtues manifest in the character of colleagues – and the greater the collective incidence, the better. So keep them ready to hand. 6.48.
At break of day, when you are reluctant to get up, have this thought ready to mind: ‘I am getting up for a man’s work. Do I still then resent it, if I am going out to do what I was born for, the purpose of which I was brought into the world? Or was I created to wrap myself in blankets and keep warm?’ ‘But this is more pleasant.’ Were you then born for pleasure – all for feeling, not for action? Can you not see plants, birds, ants, spiders, bees all doing their own work, each helping in their own way to order the world? And then you do not want to do the work of a human being – you do not hurry to the demands of your own nature. ‘But one needs rest too.’ One does indeed, I agree. But nature has set limits to this too, just as it has to eating and drinking, and yet you go beyond these limits, beyond what you need. Not in your actions, though, not any longer: here you stay below your capability.
The point is that you do not love yourself – otherwise you would love both your own nature and her purpose for you. Other men love their pursuit and absorb themselves in its performance to the exclusion of bath and food: but you have less regard for your own nature than the smith has for his metal-work, the dancer for his dancing, the money-grubber for his money, the exhibitionist for his little moment of fame. Yet these people, when impassioned, give up food and sleep for the promotion of their pursuits: and you think social action less important, less worthy of effort? 5.1.
Imagine you were now dead, or had not lived before this moment. Now view the rest of your life as a bonus, and live it as nature directs. 7.56.
‘There was a time when I met luck at every turn.’ But luck is the good fortune you determine for yourself: and good fortune consists in good inclinations of the soul, good impulses, good actions. 5.45.
and finally:
The light of a lamp shines on and does not lose its radiance until it is extinguished. Will then the truth, justice and self control which fuel you fail before your own end? 12.15.
Note – The Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) allows people to use copyright material without the copyright owner’s permission in certain situations, including fair dealing for specific purposes. Fair dealing includes criticism or review of works.
So opens Waiting for the Sun, the first track from Australian rock band Powderfinger’s fourth album, Odyssey Number Five, which is considered by the public and media alike as their best work and one of the greatest Australian albums of all time…
After three albums of experimentation (which included the brilliant and highly underrated Internationalist), Australian rock band Powderfinger finally found and perfected their sound on their fourth album, Odyssey Number Five (2000). The aim was to push their limits as songwriters and musicians and create a ‘panoramic’ and ‘cinematic’ work – a balance of harmony between sound, music and songwriting. The result is a masterpiece of Australian rock, and a portrait of Australian society and culture as it entered the new millennium condensed in only 45 minutes. Consequently it remains the band’s most commercially and critically successful album, reaching No.1 in Australia and being certified 8x Platinum, complemented by the incredibly popular tracks “My Happiness” and “These Days”.
The band in 2000 – guitarist Darren Middleton, drummer Jon Coghill, lead guitarist Ian Haug, lead vocalist Bernard Fanning, and bass guitarist John Collins.
From the thunderous and electrifying opening guitar chords of Waiting for the Sun to the acoustic guitar riff on closer Whatever Makes You Happy, Odyssey Number Five exemplifies a band at their creative and cohesive peak, willing to push their lyrical, thematic and orchestral skills to create a masterwork.
Opening track Waiting for the Sun immediately grabs the listener’s attention with its thunderous D minor guitar chord, complemented by singer Bernard Fanning’s vocals and a consistent backing drumbeat, highlighting the refined confidence of the band. This is followed by My Happiness, the band’s most commercially successful single, which details the loneliness and anxiety of being a touring musician, complemented by a ubiquitously popular central guitar riff. The rather underrated The Metre is a lament of the band trying to escape the hectic and stressful nature of media, meeting and touring, with its unique and haunting string arrangements. Like A Dog is perhaps the band’s most aggressive song, with its aggressive and loud guitar riffs highlighting the failures of the Howard Government in its poor treatment and relations with Indigenous Australians. Depressingly, little progress has been made by successive governments for them since then and today. The brief title track, which was originally a demo, acts as an intermission of sorts between the two halves of the album, showing a glimpse of Australian suburbia – ‘welcome to the new suburban fables…’
The second half begins with Up & Down & Back Again, which examines personal social alienation and loss of identity. The song builds from a single guitar riff to a thunderous crescendo blend of drums, guitar, percussion and vocals. This is complemented by a vociferous and complex melody that changes key, highlighting the struggles and pain within. My Kind of Scene, a rather mournful song about the monotony of work under capitalist culture, was written for the action film Mission: Impossible 2, and was released as a promotional single and on its soundtrack. These Days is the band’s most well known song, widely regarded today an Australian classic, and was written and featured in the film Two Hands. Arguably the crowning jewel of the album, the song’s opening organ drone gives way to a rousing chorus and an explosion of sound, exhibiting its melancholic and wistful tone about letting go. (It was also the final song the band performed at their final show in Brisbane, before disbanding in 2010). We Should Be Together Now has a rather surprisingly aggressive sound for what is a tender, simple love song, and is the best example of ‘hard rock’ on the album with its electrifying outro. Finally, Whatever Makes You Happy quietly and quickly closes the album with a gentle acoustic guitar and a backing organ, exploring themes of sadness, grief and uncertainty.
The one track that hasn’t been explored yet is the incredible Thrilloilogy. At over 6 minutes, this hidden gem is the best example of the bands ‘epic experimentation’, with thrilling results. Divided into three distinct sections, the song explores themes of unfulfilled and forgotten dreams and hopelessness, complemented by an extraordinary combination of instrumentation and sound production. The transition from a typical rock song with a verse/chorus, to a rocking jam session that builds to an almighty climax, to the slow melancholic piano keys and outro is simply breathtaking. The track also concludes the loose ‘oi’ trilogy that began on previous albums Double Allergic with Oipic, and on Internationalist’s Capriocity.
For the album’s 20th anniversary the band reissued and remastered the album in 2020 as a deluxe 2LP/CD edition with an extra disc including 10 songs, containing several B-sides, acoustic versions and covers, some of which have never been previously released before. Highlights include an acoustic string version of Up & Down & Back Again, the catchy and groovy Fuzzy Wolf, and a cover of The Psychedelic Furs’ hit single Love My Way.
Taken together, the 11 tracks on Odyssey Number Five create an album brimming with confidence and filled with brilliant instrumentation, lyrics, and sound. The album’s core themes in dealing with everyday life resonates and captivates its audience, making us feel emotions of sadness, melancholy, rage, loneliness, love and hope. As the band’s most iconic, most accessible and arguably best record, Odyssey Number Five was an incredible success for Powderfinger in Australia and abroad, winning the ARIA Album of the Year and Best Rock Album awards in 2001. In 2011, triple J listeners voted Odyssey Number Five number 1 in the Hottest 100 Australian Albums Of All Time. Over 20 years since its original release, it remains one of Australia’s great albums, and one that continues to attract new and old audiences.
Andrew Reviews 