DAVE'S DIARY - 26 JULY 2008 - MELINDA SCHNEIDER CD REVIEW

CD REVIEW
MELINDA SCHNEIDER
BE YOURSELF (BE MUSIC-DESTRA).

Sydney chanteuse Melinda Schneider has broadened her eclectic country music even further by regular songwriting trips to the mean streets of Nashville.

The results are obvious on indie fifth album - her second to be recorded with a Music City producer in Guitar Town.

On previous disc Stronger her song Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be A Woman - one of three penned with roots country singer Elizabeth Cook - made the prestige Americana awards finals.

This time she collaborated on seven tunes with Grammy award winning co-producer Gordon Kennedy.

They include the assertive title track, the fiddle fuelled Cry A Little and eternal love of I'll Take Care Of You.

Schneider explores the tough love in Safe, healing of Outside and hormonal intuition in Bad Day, penned with Marcia Ramirez.

Equally memorable is the radio friendly duet with Paul Kelly on Still Here - one of three songs penned with Jay Knowles - and a paean to a changing but enduring love.

Not so ecstatic is stubborn resolve of the character in People Don't Change and the neglect by another in Thank You that breeds solace and growth industry in new songs.

BEN COOPER

Challenged male emotions underpin Understanding but not inspirational Courageous - a collaboration with young gun Ben Cooper and a nice little earner as a duet with Olivia Newton-John on her new disc.

Don't get the impression this is all a confessional capsule - the hedonistic Grassy is a swampy stomp in a rustic, rural locale and salient sibling of liberation finale Awake Now.

Sydney studio serf Mark Punch relieves Kennedy on acoustic guitar on Courageous but drummer Steve Brewster and bassist supremo Glen Worf drive the train on this delicious disc.

Fiery fiddle is the province of Dead Reckoner Tammy Rogers and Jimmy Mattingly while Russ Pahl's dobro, Jews harp and lap and pedal steel ensures country depth.

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