| 3rd
June , 2005
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"To
put it bluntly, 'No Ordinary Life' is not
the Roma Waterman you’ve heard ‘developing’
over the last ten years. This is Roma Waterman. No
Ordinary Life is thoroughly convincing in its
intent and delivery. It’s the album I’ve
been waiting for."
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JUSTIN
MICHAEL
Artist: Roma Waterman
Title: No Ordinary Life
Firstly, let me state for the record that I cannot bring an
objective opinion to this album. I must in fact state that
I have been an admirer of Roma Waterman’s ability as
a song writer and a hard working Australian artist for a long
time. I have performed many times on the same bill and often
in the same band as Roma. Many of the songs on this album
I have seen buffed up in live performances over the last two
years. I have seen audiences learn them, love them and sing
them over and over. Now, with Phil Gaudion at the helm, they
have been polished to a high gloss on this record.
To put it bluntly, No Ordinary Life is not the Roma
Waterman you’ve heard ‘developing’ over
the last ten years. This is Roma Waterman. No Ordinary
Life is thoroughly convincing in its intent and delivery.
It’s the album I’ve been waiting for.
Phil Gaudion, ex-Colman trio drummer, came back from the US
with a passion to make great Aussie albums and took the reigns
of this project beautifully. These songs have a simplicity
that allows each one to breath and each lyric to matter, and
matter, they do. From the impassioned worship of Love
on my skin to the bitter sweet of Worth dying for
and the majestic (and already radio proven) I was carried
this album creates a journey that you want to stick around
for.
The title track No ordinary life provides the lightest
moment on the disk and for this reviewer, provides the all
important ‘track five breather’ I always needed.
(just secretly, all great albums must have a great track five
– check your own collection to prove it!) "I want
to be 17 till I’m 95, live on the edge till I learn
to fly" is a lyric I’m sure Bryan Adams would be
proud of. And in this case, that’s a compliment!
Waterman’s cover of the classic Neil Finn composition
Fall at your feet provides the bravest moment on
the album considering the songs place in the folklore of pop
music in Australia and is pulled off without aplomb. It is
not the classic, but it is a noble interpretation.
With Melbourne muso’s such as Irwin Thomas (aka Jack
Jones – guitar), Phil Guadion (various), Robert Powel
(bass), Duffy Dowling (drums) and a sparkling guest spot from
Marina Prior on Sing like an angel this album carries
a different heart beat.
The passion in which this music is delivered is inscribed
on the opening page of the sleeve. “If it’s not
worth dying for, it’s not worth living for. This is
no ordinary life.”
So, completely without bias……I liked it! Eighty-nine
per cent.
Justin
Michael can be heard weekday mornings on Geelong-based radio
station 96.3 Rhema FM - www.rhemafm.org.au.
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