The Perfect Crime (Cold Chisel album)

Last updated

The Perfect Crime
Cold Chisel The Perfect Crime.jpg
Studio album by
Cold Chisel
Released2 October 2015
Recorded Studios 301, Sydney
Freight Train Studio, Botany
Genre Rock
Length58:32
Label Cold Chisel Music
Producer Kevin Shirley
Cold Chisel chronology
The Live Tapes Vol. 2
(2014)		The Perfect Crime
(2015)		 The Live Tapes Vol. 3
(2016)

The Perfect Crime is the eighth studio album by Australian rock band Cold Chisel. It was released on 2 October 2015. It was the first album not to feature a contribution from drummer Steve Prestwich, who died of a brain tumour in January 2011. [1] The album peaked at number 2 on the Australian charts and number 7 in New Zealand.

Contents

Content

Recording for the album was done in two sessions in 2014 and 2015. Initial recording was done in Barnes' home studio, with the band working six hours a day on each song. Barnes said, "We recorded this album in two sittings - the first sitting was at my place and we did nine songs, and then about eight months later we did 10 songs at 301." [2] Barnes later said that the album was easy to make, largely because it was the first he had recorded sober. [3]

The album was intended to be more blues orientated than Cold Chisel's recent work. Walker said that he personally wanted an album that was bluesier with no country songs. [4] Barnes said, "We wanted to make a rock record - we wanted to make a record that was more 'up' than the last record we made. We wanted to utilise and focus on what this band does best - which is these rhythm and blues numbers. Steve was more of a rock drummer, and Charley's much more of a rhythm and blues drummer so he brings in these different grooves to things." [2] Walker added, "Cold Chisel does a wide range of stuff … but originally Cold Chisel was a bluesy rock band. I just thought it would be good to do something that focused on that." [5] Moss clarified, "the real rock and roll is from the era of people like Little Richard and Chuck Berry. That's what we're talking about." [6]

Another goal for the band was to have song-writing credits from all of the original members. Walker said, "I wanted it to be a much more diverse album with the writing and where the writing was coming from. And I think to a certain extent we got both of those. Probably still could have been more diverse with sourcing the songs, but that's the way it ended up." [4]

Songs

Two of the songs on the album, the title track and "Four in the Morning", had previously been recorded by Walker and released on his solo albums. Walker was initially hesitant to record them with Cold Chisel, but claimed he was, "swept along in the enthusiasm," of his bandmates. [7]

The first single, "Lost" was co-written by Walker and former Australian Idol contestant Wes Carr in 2012. Walker said, "After putting out an album of the normal stuff that Idol people have to record, he wanted to do an album of real songs and wanted to see if I could get involved in some co-writing." [8] The song was not initially short-listed for inclusion on the album before Shirley suggested the inclusion of strings and backing vocals. [9]

"All Hell Broke Lucy" was inspired the tale of Lucretia Dunkley who was the first woman hanged in Australia in 1843, at Berrima Gaol near Barnes' home. Both of Barnes' songwriting contributions to the album were co-written with his son-in-law Ben Rodgers. [5]

"Down-and-dirty disco highlight," [7] "Bus Station" was written by Walker in the eighties. The lyrics include the line, "Fat girl with a travel rug / She’s got a Chiko Roll ". Barnes said, "Yeah, the fat girl holding a Chiko Roll under a blanket line. Don, being a voyeur, thought it was sexy. It’s very symbolic. Don is a very sick man." [10]

"The Mansions" was inspired by an incident in Kings Cross where Walker saw a riot squad raid a brothel and arrest an escaped prisoner. As the prisoner was led away, the early morning drinkers at the Mansions Hotel serenaded him as the jukebox played "My Way". [11] Walker said, "Monty Python couldn't put this together. All these drunks out on the sidewalk, the kind of people who are drinking at 7am, bawling out 'I did it My Way'. Fantastic." [7]

The Australian described "Mexican Wedding" as "the one that's hardest for the more conservative rock aficionados to come at – but hear it out. It'll repay you. The Latino bar-band feel would likely fall apart in lesser hands, but here it just makes sense, swaggering with almost a Bruce Springsteen/Tom Waits kind of jauntiness. Way more than a novelty song, even if it feels a little like it at first." [11]

Critical reception

The Australian declared the album a typical contribution from Cold Chisel. "Jimmy Barnes screaming like a Torana doing a burnout on blown tyres. Awkward harmonies. Lyrics about trucks, police, women and 'feeling like shit'. A beat you can dance to without spilling your beer, and guitar solos you can’t. Staccato notes filling silence with menace and brooding. And so on." [12]

The Sydney Morning Herald also declared the album "unmistakable Chisel. It delves further back to their rock'n'roll roots with chief songwriter Don Walker carving up the keys, guitarist Ian Moss both gritty and sublime." It was awarded four of a possible five stars. [13]

Reviewed in Rolling Stone Australia , the first song was said to "slam in at full tilt, Don Walker hammering a low left-hand boogie while Jimmy Barnes exercises a newfound clarity in his upper register." It was noted that the band "rush at their second album in three years with the reckless exhilaration of greener days." [14]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Alone for You"Walker3:10
2."The Backroom"Walker3:35
3."All Hell Broke Lucy"Barnes, Ben Rodgers4:06
4."The Perfect Crime"Walker2:40
5."Long Dark Road"Barnes, Ben Rodgers4:34
6."Four in the Morning"Walker5:22
7."The Mansions"Walker3:13
8."The Toast of Paris"Walker4:43
9."Shoot the Moon"Moss, Matt Scullion3:30
10."Mexican Wedding"Walker, Small, Moss3:35
11."Get Lucky"Small3:02
12."Bus Station"Walker5:12
13."Lost"Walker, Wes Carr 4:06
14."Romantic Lies" (bonus track)Walker3:30
15."Blue Flame" (bonus track)Walker4:14
Total length:58:32

Personnel

Chart positions

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [18] Gold35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

Cold Chisel Australian rock band

Cold Chisel are an Australian pub rock band, which formed in Adelaide in 1973 by mainstay members Ian Moss on guitar and vocals, Steve Prestwich on drums and Don Walker on piano and keyboards. They were soon joined by Jimmy Barnes on lead vocals and, in 1975, Phil Small became their bass guitarist. The group disbanded in late 1983 but subsequently reformed several times. Musicologist Ian McFarlane wrote that they became "one of Australia's best-loved groups" as well as "one of the best live bands", fusing "a combination of rockabilly, hard rock and rough-house soul'n'blues that was defiantly Australian in outlook."

Khe Sanh (song) 1978 single by Cold Chisel

"Khe Sanh" is a song by Australian rock band Cold Chisel, released as a 45 rpm single in May 1978, and named after the district capital of Hướng Hóa District, Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam. Written by pianist Don Walker, "Khe Sanh" concerns an Australian Vietnam veteran dealing with his return to civilian life. According to Toby Creswell's liner notes for the band's 1991 compilation album Chisel, the song is also a story of restless youth.

Flame Trees

"Flame Trees" is a song by Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel from their 1984 album Twentieth Century. One of their best known songs, it was written by drummer Steve Prestwich and keyboardist Don Walker. On its release it reached No. 26 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart. It resurfaced in August 2011 due to download sales, peaking at No. 54 on the ARIA chart.

<i>The Last Wave of Summer</i> 1998 studio album by Cold Chisel

The Last Wave of Summer is the sixth studio album by Australian pub rock band, Cold Chisel. It was released in October 1998 and reached number-one on The Australian ARIA Charts. It was the band's first studio album in 14 years.

<i>Breakfast at Sweethearts</i> 1979 studio album by Cold Chisel

Breakfast at Sweethearts is the second studio album by Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel, released in February 1979. It spent 32 weeks in the national charts, reaching a peak of number 4.

<i>Cold Chisel</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Cold Chisel

Cold Chisel is the self-titled debut album of Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel. Released in April 1978, it spent 23 weeks in the Australian charts, peaking at number 38.

<i>Youre Thirteen, Youre Beautiful, and Youre Mine</i> 1978 EP (Live) by Cold Chisel

You're Thirteen, You're Beautiful, and You're Mine is a live EP by Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel, recorded at the Regent Theatre in Sydney in October 1978, and released in November. After a long period of unavailability, the EP was re-released as a bonus disc with the second pressing of the compilation album Chisel (1991). The EP was later made available digitally, as well as reissued on disc in 2011.

<i>East</i> (Cold Chisel album) 1980 studio album by Cold Chisel

East is the third studio album by Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel, released in June 1980. The album peaked at No. 2 and spent 63 weeks on the national chart. It was the biggest-selling Australian album release of the year. It was the only Cold Chisel album to chart in America, reaching 171 on the Billboard 200. It also reached number 32 on the New Zealand charts.

<i>Bodyswerve</i> 1984 studio album by Jimmy Barnes

Bodyswerve is the debut solo album by former Cold Chisel vocalist Jimmy Barnes. The album was released in on 10 September 1984 and went to No. 1 on the Kent Music Report Albums Chart. It contains covers of tracks by Sam Cooke and Janis Joplin. "No Second Prize" was the album's first single.

<i>Circus Animals</i> 1982 studio album by Cold Chisel

Circus Animals is the fourth studio album by Australian band Cold Chisel, released on 8 March 1982. It was recorded and mixed at Paradise Studios and EMI Studio 301, Sydney. It reached number one on the Australian charts, remaining in the charts for 40 weeks, and also topped the New Zealand charts. The working title for the album was "Tunnel Cunts".

<i>Swingshift</i> 1981 live album by Cold Chisel

Swingshift is a live album released by Australian band Cold Chisel in 1981. It was their first album to reach No. 1 on the Australian chart, debuting there in its first week. It peaked at number 9 in New Zealand. A press release said the title referred to, "the midnight to dawn shift that the staff in asylums dread: the hours when the crazies go crazy."

<i>Twentieth Century</i> (Cold Chisel album) 1984 studio album by Cold Chisel

Twentieth Century is the fifth and final studio album by Australian band Cold Chisel until the group reformed in 1998. The album was written and recorded over various sessions during the period of the band's break-up and during breaks in their final tour. It was released in early 1984 and peaked at No. 1 on the Australian albums chart, their third consecutive album to do so. It charted for a total of 46 weeks.

<i>Flesh and Wood</i> 1993 studio album by Jimmy Barnes

Flesh and Wood is the seventh album by Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes, which was issued in December 1993. It was recorded by Barnes and Don Gehman co-producing and used only acoustic instruments. On eight of its fifteen tracks, Barnes duets with various artists: Diesel, Archie Roach, Joe Cocker, Ross Wilson, Tommy Emmanuel, Don Walker, Deborah Conway, and the Badloves. It reached No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart.

Saturday Night (Cold Chisel song) 1984 single by Cold Chisel

"Saturday Night" is a 1984 single from Australian rock band Cold Chisel, the second released from the album Twentieth Century and the first to be issued after the band's official break-up. The vocals are shared between Ian Moss and Jimmy Barnes. It just missed out on becoming the band's third Top 10 single, stalling at number 11 on the Australian chart for two weeks, but it remains one of Cold Chisel's highest charting songs.

Don Walker (musician) Australian musician and songwriter (born 1951)

Donald Hugh Walker is an Australian musician and songwriter who wrote many of the hits for Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel. Walker is considered to be one of Australia's best songwriters. In 2012 he was inducted into the Australian Songwriter's Hall of Fame.

Choirgirl (song) 1979 song written by Don Walker performed by Cold Chisel

"Choirgirl" is a 1979 single by Australian rock band Cold Chisel. A ballad with an R&B influenced melody, the single was released months before the album East that it featured on. It was the first time the band had recorded with producer Mark Opitz. It peaked at number 14 in Australia

<i>No Plans</i> 2012 studio album by Cold Chisel

No Plans is the seventh studio album by Australian rock band Cold Chisel. It was released on 6 April 2012 and was the band's first studio album in 14 years. It features the final recorded performances by drummer Steve Prestwich, who died of a brain tumour in January 2011. The album peaked at number 2 on the Australian charts.

Cheap Wine (song) 1980 single by Cold Chisel

"Cheap Wine" is a 1980 single from Australian rock band Cold Chisel. The second single from the album East, the single was released in May, a month before the album. It reached number 8 on the Australian charts, the band's first top-ten single, and would eventually remain the band's second highest chart performance. It has been described as, "one of Don's finest commercial songs."

"Lost" was a 2015 single from Australian rock band Cold Chisel. The single was released weeks before the album, The Perfect Crime, that it featured on. A mid-tempo ballad, it reached number 92 in the Australian charts.

<i>Blood Moon</i> (Cold Chisel album) 2019 studio album by Cold Chisel

Blood Moon is the ninth studio album by Australian rock band Cold Chisel. It was released on 6 December 2019, and is supported by the lead single "Getting the Band Back Together". It is the band's first studio album since 2015's The Perfect Crime. The band will tour in support of the album from 31 December 2019 until February 2020. The album debuted atop the ARIA Albums Chart, becoming the band's fifth album to reach the summit and first since The Last Wave of Summer in 1998.

References

  1. ↑ Sarah Whyte, "Beginning of next chapter for Chisel", Sun Herald, 1 April 2012, pg 14.
  2. 1 2 Steve Bell (2 October 2015). "We Are Legend: How Cold Chisel Became So Much Greater Than The Sum of Their Parts". The Music. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  3. ↑ Jimmy Barnes (2017). Working Class Man. HarperCollins. p. 357. ISBN   978-1460752142.
  4. 1 2 Dan Lander (November 2015). "Meeting of the Minds". Rolling Stone Australia . No. 768. Paper Riot Pty Ltd. pp. 52–57.
  5. 1 2 Michael Dwyer (2 October 2015). "Cold Chisel set to tour new album The Perfect Crime". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  6. ↑ Augustus Welby (30 September 2015). "Eight is great". The Brag. No. 632.
  7. 1 2 3 Simon Collins (7 October 2015). "Cold Chisel carve new sound". The West Australian. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  8. ↑ Kathy McCabe (26 August 2015). "Don Walker and Wes Carr reveal the musical friendship behind new Cold Chisel single Lost". news.com.au. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  9. ↑ Nathan Jolly. "COLD CHISEL UNVEIL NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO, 'LOST'". Max TV.
  10. ↑ Kathy McCabe (27 September 2015). "Hear a stream of the new Cold Chisel album The Perfect Crime". news.com.au. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  11. 1 2 Stephen Fitzpatrick (3 October 2015). "Cold Chisel: The Perfect Crime, 4.5 stars". The Australian. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  12. ↑ Fred Pawle (13 October 2015). "The Perfect Crime, by Cold Chisel, stretches the working-class credentials". The Australian. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  13. ↑ Martin Boulton (24 September 2015). "Album reviews: Cold Chisel, Metric, Kurt Vile, Clutch, Big Boi & Phantogram". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  14. ↑ Michael Dwyer (30 September 2015). "Cold Chisel The Perfect Crime". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Cold Chisel – The Perfect Crime". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  16. ↑ "Charts.nz – Cold Chisel – The Perfect Crime". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  17. ↑ McCabe, Kathy. "ARIA chart for 2015 reveal the most popular music that Australia loves to turn up the volume on". The Advertiser . Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  18. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2015 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.