Love & War

In Love and War, Daniel has shaped a record informed by the juxtaposition of the two cultural metropolises he calls 'home' which is both complicated and equally care free without ever being schizophrenic. Here, shiny pop production and the temptation to make a slick and smooth contemporary neo-soul record have been wavered in favour of space, stark emotional intimacy, sonic expansion and crackling introspection. The results are extraordinary; an anthemic psyched out acoustic folk record fuelled by the fires of Motown and Stax, with a heart the size of Alaska. A kaleidoscope of sounds and emotion, Love and War, touches on themes ranging from romances gone wrong through the disillusionment of city-living and struggles of day-to-day life, to the current state of the over-developed world. "Getting Out" is a classic, universally applicable, break-up anthem in every-sense and "Chainsaw" is an ode to a dysfunctional relationship that is more destructive than good. While "Cigarettes", is a song about mistakes, regret and denial, "For Your Money" documents Daniel's bittersweet relationship with his adopted home, and "Impossible" is a song simply about putting everything down - while its subject matter is sad, its shuffle is infectious, making it a song for club DJs as much as radio airwaves. Featuring Sean Lennon on guitar, "Red" works on various levels lyrically. On the surface it’s a song about a relationship gone wrong, but dig further and the relationship serves as a metaphor for looming political change and imploding capitalism, for the blindness of war and the current absence of compassion displayed by western administrations. Every bit the classic debut one would have hoped and more, filled from start to finish with thrilling hit singles to boot, Love and War not only speaks for itself, but proves Daniel Merriweather is now a long, long way from busking on a street corner in Melbourne just to earn a buck.