Album Review: Jimmy Barnes - My Criminal Record

Back with a boisterous 17th studio album, Jimmy Barnes ticks all the boxes as a singer, songwriter, and true blue Aussie in My Criminal Record.

Arguably, My Criminal Record caps off a trilogy of autobiographies, the first two instalments being in book form. The darkness that levels Barnes in this release is, quite frankly, scary. Where music is meant as a point of healing for many, here it seems for Barnes to serve entirely a crutch - and not one that can support the emotional turmoil and melancholy of the album’s tales. It sounds brilliant, though.

Barnes shuffles in grooves and funk, with the album opener and titular track wasting no time in sharing his stories. Shutting Down Our Town is bittersweet and powerful, with piano blues licks and stripped-back instrumentation that brings Barnes’ narrative forward, while his cover of Working Class Hero renders a dark tone that sets it apart from the original, Barnes making it his own.

Barnes wears his heart on his sleeve here, something readers of his books will be used to. For those less familiar with his solo work, My Criminal Record's vivacious rhythms, bold melodies and open lyrics serve as a palatable and impressively honest introduction - Barnes has cleverly, perhaps even subconsciously, covered all bases.