Album Review: Love Only You

Geoff Horne’s album, Love Only You starts solidly. It takes you back to a time (if you’re old enough, which I, unfortunately, am) of heavy guitar riffs, simple 4/4 beats and obvious transitions. Hot, humid days, broken by summer rains. The smell of steaming tarmac, damp earth and the sight of big hair, tutus and boldly coloured jumpsuits. The first two tracks, if they haven’t already, should be added to the movie library. You can see the wistful moves of a slim, pretty actress with permed hair. The colour of her headband and the long frame, dust tinged, moody shots.

After the first two tracks, things take a left turn. It’s not that Watchyaback Cat is necessarily a bad song, it’s just that the running list here becomes abrupt, and fails to make much sense. Track 3, and 6, would fit better on stage than screen, and perhaps there is a library for such music. That part I’m afraid I don’t know.

Wet Seat that follows, frankly, should be on a separate album. Along with The Wombat Song, Kellie Don’t Like the Bumps, Karangahape Road and 1969. They have little in common with the other songs and are a jolt out of the mood that had been set.

I assume the idea in the song list was to portray a variety of styles. Or perhaps it’s as simple as these are the sum total of Geoff’s songs. But there is no theme to the album and the transition between songs is, at times, awkward and uncomfortable. Some of the songs are good, and I can see Geoff going down well in the right setting, with a crowd consisting of a certain demographic. The songs are of a time. That time, for me, hasn’t aged well. Having said that; Geoff has a clear, bold voice, the recording quality is good, the balance between instruments is absolutely listenable. Give him a go, because, maybe, that era is yours too.

_{Review written by Tori Reed}