PREMIERE: Davey Lane Takes A Trip Through Pop History On His Sublime Second Solo Album

Acclaimed Australian muso Davey Lane today releases I'm Gonna Burn Out Bright, the keenly awaited follow-up to his 2014 debut solo record, Atonally Young.

The album carries some evident influences — try to deny the palpable stripes of ELO that permeate its 12-track play list, for one, as well as the touches of acts such as The Beatles, Pink Floyd and XTC — but is an unmistakably 'Davey Lane' piece of work, traversing a multitude of sounds and moods throughout its duration yet cohesively pulled together with his trademark flair and musical wit.

Notably, the long-serving You Am I guitarist likes to infuse his tunes with a bit of juxtaposition between the sunny and the downcast, a penchant that shines through even in its determined yet also mildly defeatist title. This is, of course, all part of a greater design.

"I'm not generally a dark or morose guy but I guess inspiration for songs come from heartbreak and tragedy, real or imagined," Lane said in a statement. "Having said that, I generally want to frame my words in something pretty uplifting, sunny or euphoric sounding — I don't wanna send unsuspecting listeners on a complete bummer of a trip."

That dichotomy is evident from early on, from the upbeat, strings-lined bop of Taurus All Apart — "a well-worn tale of paranoia, misunderstanding and imaginary subterfuge" — to the "faux-funeral march playout" of reflective, airy closer Going Back To The Shadows.

Lane called upon a bunch of excellent creatives to lend their touches to his sophomore full-length, including Graeme Pogson of GL (drum programming on My Apple Lady Cried), as well as King Gizz string-slinger Stu Mackenzie, plus Liam McGorry and Ross Beaton of Saskwatch/Dorsal Fins (all of whom feature on She Drained My Mynd) and Melbourne singer-songwriter Laura Jean (This Is Hell). The end result is a wonderfully eclectic, consistently defiant (of tropes, expectations, you name it) set of songs that suggest that the versatile Lane is nowhere near burning out — but, if he is, at least he is doing so, as the album's title reminds us, very brightly indeed.

As our reviewer, Ross Clelland, so succinctly summarised: "If you revel in the history of pop music, you'll love this record."

Davey Lane will launch his new album tonight, 18 August, at the Gasometer (upstairs) with support from Girlatones. Tickets are available through the venue or at the door.