Album Review: Kevin Borich - Duets

The career of Antipodean rock legend Kevin Borich kicked off back in the ‘60s across the ditch in popular Kiwi outfit The La De Das, after which he moved to Australia in the mid-‘70s and formed the long-standing outfit Kevin Borich Express, who, over the next few decades built a fervent following for their internationally-renowned live shows. 

His main commercial success, however, came in the ‘80s when he co-founded the star-studded cover band The Party Boys with a rotating cast of Oz rock icons - the hard-livin’ rockers even scoring a #1 single in 1987 with their rendition of John Kongos’ early-‘70s hit He’s Gonna Step On You Again. It’s this same spirit of collaboration with high-profile friends which imbues Borich’s brand-new solo project, Duets.

For the new project, the veteran musician teamed up with producer Nick O’Donnell - with whom he’s been working closely for the last decade or so - and then tapped a cavalcade of talented mates whom he’s accumulated over his decades-long stint at the musical coalface to each contribute their particular skills to one of the songs on the album. 

The ensuing labour of love took a number of years after its conception to actually complete, as each guest’s individual parts were put to tape as schedules and logistics allowed, documented in a professional studio wherever possible but on occasions recorded in hotel rooms, lounge rooms or even backstage at gigs.

Fortunately, you’d never guess this ad hoc approach from the finished product, a diverse but cohesive batch of songs channelling Borich’s distinctive brand of blues-rock and allowing both his guitar acumen and powerful songwriting chops to shine through - as well as his perfectly-weathered and ultra-expressive vocals - whilst still allowing plenty of space for his distinctive guests to shine through on each track. 

The collection starts off nicely with the cruisy Call A Friend on which fellow long-standing Oz rock luminary Russell Morris appears, the two legends’ voices intertwining perfectly as the song fittingly ruminates on the strength of mateship itself. Next, the stately, piano-infused blues ballad Bring Back Loving Again brings ‘70s pop stalwart Leo Sayer back to the fray, the pair trading vocal lines and harmonising to great effect on this uplifting early highlight.

Things take a turn to the grittier on the ominous rocker Wrapped In Rock, which finds Borich bouncing his vocals off those of Suze DeMarchi (of Baby Animals fame) whilst indulging in some mild guitar histrionics which nicely offset the lyrics about a life devoted to the rock’n’roll cause.

Next, we get the collection’s sole international interloper in the form of erstwhile Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, the two axe-wielders showing their respective wares on a song that veers between reflective and celebratory as it examines the travails of the respective countries and the enduring bond between the two allied nations. 

Next, we welcome another homegrown hero in the form of Cold Chisel co-founder Ian Moss, who wastes no time showing why he’s one of Australia’s most revered guitarists on the laidback and meandering love anthem Straight From My Heart, their voices again mixing together wonderfully in the song’s home stretch.

A more recent Oz rock hero in the form of You Am I frontman Tim Rogers joins Borich on the fittingly raucous Keep It To Myself, their weathered vocals wailing in unison on the rocking tale of a femme fatale, before we get a tonal change-up with former Killing Heidi vocalist Ella Hooper lending her beautifully smooth voice to the sophisticated ‘60s jazz vamp I’m Together.

This classy detour doesn’t last long, though, with the typically rousing rocker Soapbox Bitchin’ providing a perfect backdrop befitting guest singer Angry Anderson’s roots in Rose Tattoo before the sultry Don’t Cry finds the great Joe Camilleri showcasing not just his distinctive vocals but his considerable saxophone skills as well.

Hate Pill provides one of Duets’ heaviest moments whilst being nicely broken up by flourishes of Ross Wilson’s harmonica before Angela Fabian shines on the stripped-back, cultivated Covered In Blue and John Swan (of Swannee and The Party Boys) brings things home on the poignant, piano-based closer There Is A Road which finds the old sparring-partners trading verses as they reflect on their long, occasionally intersecting journeys.

It’s an ambitious project Borich and O’Donnell have undertaken but one that the pair have done complete justice to, introducing an incredibly large and diverse array of talent into proceedings without ever overshadowing either the songs or Borich’s contributions. Above all else, Duets proves a wonderfully fitting document of an incredible career, one with hopefully a few more twists and turns left in the pipeline yet.

Kevin Borich’s new album, Duets, is out now. You can listen below.