Josh Rennie-Hynes’ Furthermore arrives as a solid follow-up to his previous effort, February. An organic, self-produced record, the album finds Rennie-Hynes exploring new terrain while sticking to what he does best: writing songs that linger long after the first listen.
Slow burner Where Do I Go begins the album on an introspective note, conjuring vivid imagery of the Australian landscape over hushed vocals. Throughout the album, welcome details are peppered through the production that bring the record to a new level of resonance. Case in point, the pitch-perfect fiddle lines that colour the track. Richmond kicks things up a notch as guitars begin to crunch over a driving beat. It’s tracks like these that show the songwriter at his finest: economical with his lyrics, with songs that are all the better for it.
Rosie is an utter gem. A humble song that shows why Rennie-Hynes is one of the fastest rising stars on the Australian scene today, meanwhile, Picture Frame echoes Ryan Adams in his rockier moments. Fiddlewoods is a welcome addition to the tracklist, rounding out the album with a casual bluegrass moment that captures the sheer fun of playing music with friends; a crystalline reflection of the relaxed process in which the album came about.
By James Di Fabrizio
