Having never heard, nor seen, The Dearhunters before, I must say they are
quite a surprise when you do come across them. Heading towards a soft, mellow sound, their
arsenal includes some beautiful slide guitar and an array of three different vocalists.
Boosted by this is the fact that this band holds remnants of many other well known bands,
including the Clouds, The Verys and You Am I.
In the live arena, their experience really shows, and the confidence and comfort that they
have amongst themselves is very evident. All the songs seem to have that edge of quality
to them, and you can't help but delight in the sheer elegance of the slide guitar, sultry
vocals and all-round professionalism. While not already familiar with their tracks, `In
Our Heads' was hard to beat as their best track. With their new album on the way, it is an
opportune time to catch these guys and see just what they're all about.
Darren Swan for Time Off Magazine
Ric's Bar, Brisbane, QLD
August 6th, 1999
.....and with the evening kicking along at quite an understated pace until this point, the
gorgeous warmth of the Dearhunters didn't do much to change things. Taking the stage with
no affectations whatsoever, and easing gently into the slow moving slide perfection of
"Heads", the attention of the crowd was steadily drawn to the beauty that was
unfolding before them.
The obvious thing for The Dearhunters to do would be to let their live performances hang
off the vocal talents of Jodi Phillis, who has an absolutely golden voice. But thankfully
this has been underplayed to some extent, and while her voice is undeniably beautiful, it
has been moderated in a way that allows it to complement the abilities of her fellow band
members. So while The Dearhunters act not only as a platform for the stunning vocals of
Jodi, it's also an outlet for Tim, Greg and the new drummer Dave to make their (equal)
contributions to what is really quite close to lazy sounding perfection.
So tonight The Dearhunters gave all the songs on their brand spankin' new album the chance
to get out there and breathe a little, as well as treating the crowd to a couple of newer
numbers not featured on the album (jeez - ever get the feeling you just can't keep up with
it all ?).
Where Oxley and Phillis contribute vocals that are incredibly sweet, tonight Hitchcock
added a depth and richness to The Dearhunters' sound with his singing effort on
"Starling". Also included in the set was the incredibly harmonious "Another
Heart" (in which Tim Oxley really doesn't sound completely dissimilar to Brian
Wilson.)
For those of you who fell in love with the country-tinged "Ivy" during the FBi
broadcast (a song that thankfully received quite a flogging), there is much more to the
Dearhunters that is equally lovable. Catch 'em for yourself.
Mel Lake for Revolver Magazine
The Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney, NSW
September 9th, 1999
.....when the Dearhunters took to the stage, they also only numbered two. Introducing
songs from their debut album "Red Wine & Blue", Jodi Phillis and Tim Oxley
shared vocal duties when performing Ballerina and Ivy, proving to be as formidable on
stage as on the album.
By the time bass player Greg Hitchcock lumbered onto the stage it was to add his own
flavour to the radio promoted "Mr Katherine", an instantly recognizable hit if
ever there was one and most likely to become "most requested live song" should
The Dearhunters continue to visit Perth.
And then there were four. There quickly came a time when a full rhythm section was
required to fill out the sound and provide a more accurate glimpse of what can be expected
from the CD. This was, after all, a CD launch as Phillis was quick to remind the crowd.
While The Dearhunters utilise intricate structures within their melodies, when the songs
come from the stage they appear natural, almost an extension of the musicians themselves.
gentle and beguiling, The Dearhunters are also purveyors of the odd little tale or two
which, when combined with Phillis' unforgettable voice, make for an enjoyable evening.
Chelsea Hunter for X-Press Magazine
MoJo's, North Freemantle, WA
Saturday, October 16th, 1999
Click here to see the Red Wine & Blue reviews, or come along
to the Dearhunters 35 Second Theatre to listen to sample MP3
files taken from the album now..... |
