ABOUT
"Cat fight howlin' in the alleyway
Junkyard hobo seen better days
Cold winter morning, news boy callin
Friend of a close friend buried in a rage - thats life!!"
- Its cold out tonight
We did have an an 'About', but then we received a review that we could not have written any better ourselves by atthebarrier.com - So why not just use that?
Has anybody sent a copy of this to Bob Harris or Steve LaMacq because this album, from the band that emerged from the Aussie country band The Kelly Gang, deserves airplay. Every track is an absolute cracker.
Yes, the opening notes are pure Gilmour sound-a-like and the harmonica and vocals on Scarlet Water show a Neil Young influence but now under a new name, Faceless Mirror are a band whodeserve merit on the musical delights they created themselves.
Journey Home sets off the travelling concept of this journey. Every journey begins with the first step through life’s trials, tribulations and positive experiences to make your way back home.
Some songs have an anthemic quality; words of poetical wisdom, crystal clear observations of life all presented with superbly crafted musicianship. So sad that these tunes have been buried since the mid 1990’s but so good that Dave Cavanagh inspired the rest of the band to resurrect them in 2017. The passing of original bassist Jonathan Harris sparked the decision to studio record songs from their initial recordings of live performances.
One listen to this album and you will be bowled over quicker than a Thomson/Lillee seam attack, hit for six further than a Steve Smith onslaught. Crashing catchy riffs, sublime solos are thrashed asunder from these men from down under. Wailing, powerful vocals but never ear- piercing.
Each song has its own identity, no tried and tested formula. Different guitar effects and vocal style not only show these guys are willing to experiment with different textures, moods, dynamics and tempo but show a versatility that many groups seek for years to achieve.
It has been said that if Floyd, Skynyrd met Neil Young then you would end up with Faceless Mirror. If anyone could survive that experience you probably just end up with a hell of a racket and not the fabulous sonic experience of listening to this album on which they deserve credit for what they create in their own right.
This is an album you should explore yourself and take a chance on. In fact it’s not a chance.. if country rock is your thing or any rock style I guarantee you will be immersed in a stunning hour of musical joy.
Original band member Dean Macaw has written: “We wanted all the songs to be not just good songs, but great songs. Songs that stick in your head, the kind you wake up and find yourself humming or singing.”
With the addition of some new members: drummer John ‘Derek’ Armistead, Tony Rendell on keyboards and Hammond organ and Mark Cooper-White on bass guitar without doubt you achieved this for me.
I’ll be playing this in the car, during my one Covid driven ‘permitted’ outdoor daily exercise, in bed, on my turbo bike. ‘If Paradise is half as nice’ – a lyric almost replicating Amen Corner’s 60’s hit – appears on the track aptly named Paradise that strangely begin with some demonic, hellish effects but ultimately develops into a glorious stomping riff driven cracker of a tune .
Bring It Back Home is perhaps the nearest to country with a searing guitar solo, harmonic backing vocals but as we nearly reach the end of the journey the plaintive choral calls to bring all your sour experiences back to safe harbour of home. Finally, a totally stripped -down acoustic guitar and harmonica backed song Crazy Little Dream.
So, if anybody with influence in the national rock or country media is reading give these boys a
bigger profile.
Howard King
https://atthebarrier.com/2020/04/01/feb-faceless-mirror-journey-home-album-review/
Meet the Band...Current
DAVE CAVANAGH
Lead Vocals \ Guitar \ Songwriter
Dave Cavanagh’s original music is a reflection of everyone and everything surrounding him. His talent for transforming an experience or feeling into a musical piece of brilliance is motivating not only for musicians but also for a daily dose of inspiration. Dave has released a number of solo albums and has had songs used in various surf movies and TV shows, including Mick Fanning's 'Lightening Strikes, Surfing Safaris, Dingos Tale, Surfers Paradise, and channel 9 network TV ‘The Ink Show’. Dave also wrote Top 10 Tamworth Country Hoedown song “I’ve Been to Bourke’n’Back (performed by the Bourke’n’Back Boys) which was also nominated for Song of The Year, as well as receiving *1st Prize SBS T.V. National Video Awards and Silver Medal New York Film Awards for “Don’t Lock Me Up”( in conjunction with video maker Shaun Ashcroft) Sung by the lead singer of the legendary U.K band (The Sweet)
DEAN MACAW
Lead Guitar \ Vocals \ Arrangements
Dean is a self taught guitarist who has played and recorded on the North Coast of Australia for over 30 yrs. Dean has formed, and been apart of many popular Northern Coast Bands such as Hot Pursuit, Fat Dingo, Tokyo Joe, The Kelly Gang, The Milkmen, and Occarock ... Just to name a few.
In 2017 Dean left Occarock after 12 years of gigging with them, and started working with Dave Cavanagh on recording, arranging, and producing songs that would end up being Faceless Mirror's debut album - Journey Home. While doing this, both Dean and Dave have searched high and low for suitable band members to form the Faceless Mirror band.
JOHN 'DEREK' ARMISTEAD
LEAD DRUMS \ VOCALS
Derek Armistead's precise timekeeping has been keeping musos in check for over 40 years and has earned him the nickname of Mr Metronome.
He has played in many North Coast bands, touring bands and recording studios. Some of the bands include Under Raps, 3 Way Radio, The Injectors, All Ordinaries, Bag Snatchers and has supported bands including Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Dr Feelgood, Max Merit and the Meteors, Redgum, INXS and Mondo Rock among others.
His long career and love of music has brought him together with Faceless Mirror through his friendship with Dean where both have played in bands together over the years.
MICHAEL HUNT
BASS GUITAR \ VOCALS
Derek Armistead's precise timekeeping has been keeping musos in check for over 40 years and has earned him the nickname of Mr Metronome.
He has played in many North Coast bands, touring bands and recording studios. Some of the bands include Under Raps, 3 Way Radio, The Injectors, All Ordinaries, Bag Snatchers and has supported bands including Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Dr Feelgood, Max Merit and the Meteors, Redgum, INXS and Mondo Rock among others.
His long career and love of music has brought him together with Faceless Mirror through his friendship with Dean where both have played in bands together over the years.
TONY RENDELL
Lead Keyboards \ Hammond & Leslie
Tony started playing in a cabaret band around 1978, playing 3 nights a week around the north coast.
He then moved on into rock bands, stagefright, 70 grand, The perfect storm, and a few more from the north coast.
In 2000 joined a very popular Armadale band Bastile and toured extensively through Western NSW and South East Qld. In 2005 formed a deep purple tribute Band with 4 other north coast muso's and toured up and down the East coast of Australia.
In 2016 Tony came out of retirement and joined the Mal Eastick band, which then brought him to Faceless Mirror.
MARK COOPER-WHITE
Lead Bass \ Vocals
Mark “Coop” Cooper-White first picked up a bass guitar at age 14 to fill a gap in the Wee Waa school musical and has continued to coax great rhythms from that same guitar for four decades since. He’s finally bought a proper one – a Rickenbacker - in time to join in on this album.
Coop is an in-demand live and session bassist and backing vocalist, playing rock, blues, jazz, folk, country - anything really - with numerous bands of all genres throughout northern NSW, south east Queensland, and loving all of it.