Album Review: Tim Rogers - Rogers Sings Rogerstein

There's little to debate when it comes to Tim Rogers' standing as one of Australia's finest musical raconteurs – his lyrical turns are the stuff of magic, and they're strengthened significantly by the fact that they generally sit on incredibly good melodies. On paper, Rogers Sings Rogerstein, his second solo album proper, is an interesting proposition, but its release on a new label that aims to encourage and promote more 'left-of-centre' acts, a description that can't really applied to Rogers, raises eyebrows if not alarm bells.

With its carnival-tune character and uncluttered instruments, opener All Or Nothing is a fairly underwhelming start. It benefits from the vocal contributions of Lizanne Richards but suffers from the clumsy manner in which Rogers' lyrics are married to the music. The same is true of Part Time Dads, which also has some uncomfortable moments where changes in tone seem a struggle – it's as if Rogers is stretching for an octave that's not quite in his range. It's a shame, really, because the sentiments he's expressing are not only heartfelt but also beautifully put. The acoustic drive of Walkin Past The Bars and its slide guitar touches work fairly well, but the lyrics again are rushed and jammed into spaces where they don't fit. Stylistically, I Love You Just As You Are, Now Change has plenty in common with the rock'n'roll that's been Rogers' bread and butter for almost two decades, while the country swing of Beefy Jock Guys And Modern Dance Music continues the album's genre hopping. Any way you look at it, Rogers Sings Rogerstein is an ambitious record, but it's not one you'll be reaching for too frequently.