Colin Hay
Transcendental Highway
Lazy Eye America/Compass
Compass Records is currently rereleasing some of former Men At Work front man Colin Hays’s acoustic albums from a decade ago, and on Transcendental Highway, he showcases his compelling vocals and heartfelt songwriting skills. This disc of sardonic love songs indicates while he may be a true romantic at heart, he knows there are things that can go wrong, sometimes irreparably. The title cut suggests “You don’t have to follow the white lines,” which is OK in a metaphysical sense, but in real life means you’re driving while texting. Heart-tugging yet smooth arrangements fill “Goodbye My Red Rose,” and an up-tempo smooth jazz line infuses “If I Go.” The lyrics in “If I Go” start out as a very promising semifriendly break-up song, although they stumble a bit near the end with a trite “deeper than the sea and taller than a mountain” lyric. It’s not enough to spoil the record, but it is weak. There’s more nicely melancholic musing here, and I might suggest this as a breaking-up gift, if you feel that would help your case.
Compass Records: http://www.compassrecords.com
