When Chris Altmann upped stumps and headed across the Pacific, Melbourne’s loss was North America’s gain. Two years later and Altmann is back, with a new album that confirms he’s one of Australia’s most impressive songwriters and performers. Nothing But Nice Things has got it all: from the satirical and sardonic observations on the cannibalistic behaviour of the music industry in the title track, to the slick and steady bar room Merle Haggard-esque boogie of I Told A Lie to the ghosts of The Band wafting through the uplifting gospel of Walk On (You’re Slowly Heading Home), this is a record that refuses to put a foot wrong.
Some People is the ’70s Tennessee-meets-Californian rock track for the lost generation of cocaine-addled record label executives, Carrodus’ Mountain View Hotel finds literary inspiration in the darkest, most nefarious bowels of social behaviour and Silent Treatment is so beautiful and elegant it should be gracing the cover of Vogue with a rose between its teeth. Living It Up returns country rock to its rightful humorous and amorous origins, Whole Wide World throws you down on a pile of hay and takes you to places you’ve never believed existed. I Know It Isn’t Right is a tale of happiness lost to the ogre of emotional dysfunction and Lukewarm Heart is tougher than a Massey Ferguson tractor, and more graceful than Scarlett O’Hara.
A friend of mine reckons Chris Altmann should be a superstar. If such an accolade derives from the presence of objective artistic attributes, rather than a cheap platitude spat out by the malnourished fat cats of the entertainment industry, then Altmann’s career is destined for wonderful things. But if that doesn’t happen, Chris Altmann will remain a legend, and Nothing But Nice Things will go down in history as one of the great country rock releases of the modern era.
BY PATRICK EMERY
Best Track: Nothing But Nice Things
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: The Band, Merle Haggard, Justin Townes Earle.
In a word: Country.
