Got a great surprise when I woke up today. Was driving to my GF’s place when they said on RRR radio that the new Tim and Tex album is out today. Bloody corker!

So Borders had it for $24.95. Gave it a very quick listen and man is it catchy. There’s none or very little of the melancholy strums of Ghost Songs, or the hip flask swilling sleaze of Dirty Ron, but a hell of a lot of tongue in cheek outright cheekiness. Will require several more listens to give a more thorough review, but so far the only track I don’t get is ‘Fire Escape’.  Frankly I think this easily tops that double album.

Everything else is fresh, and almost reaks of Willy Nelson and Johnny Cash (or Julio Iglesius(?)) duets of old. There is an aural texture to this album that seems instantly legendary. The superlatives keep coming. But you can hear whisky being poured between tracks it revels so well. Even Richard Kingsmill, radio JJJ music nerd, at first thought it was a throw away album and admitted Rogers had come out with some belters. He’s right.

Some of it also reaks of ‘What Rhymes with Cars and Girls’ which is a bloody good thing. Timmy has several solo tracks where this becomes apparent. One track had strong violin tinged bits which sound like the mellotrons used on ‘Hi Fi Way’. Tex has at least one. I hope the boys have another album in them. Because so far, this is a fantastic album. Rogers seems to be in a bit of a happier place with these tunes, but there’s some bitterness there. But it’s mostly good time, drinkin’ tunes. God bless ‘em. Some are for you and your lady will appreciate, but they work on all levels.

Of particular coolness are the last two tracks: Come on and Love Me (a very old Kiss song off the album Dressed to Kill) and Rod Stewart’s Tonight’s the Night. These are absolutely brilliantly cheeky but awesome acoustic renditions!

So bugger it. Tomorrow should be a sunny day. So buy this album, get some snags and a slab of Coopers Sparkling, fire up the barby and crank these tunes with some mates. That is the best possible way you can pay tribute to this album and these fine lads. Tim Rogers for president of everything.