release date: Nov. 9, 1992
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Dave Dobbyn
label: White Label - nationality: Australia
Track highlights: 1. "Lighting Fires" - 2. "Surround Me" - 3. "One Million Miles From Here" - 4. "The Dark Side of Town" - 8. "Fingers" - 11. "Bathe (In the Water)" - 13. "Riddle in the Rain"
2nd solo album by Grant W. McLennan released one year after his debut Watershed is once again produced by Dave Dobbyn. The album was released in Australia in late '92 and internationally in early '93. Once again, the album feature Dave Dobbyn with a handful of session musicians - only this time without Amanda Brown.
It's not a long period between the two McLennan solo albums but in between them he has co-founded the collaboration project-band, Jack Frost, together with Steve Kilbey of The Church. At least the songs here are more up-tempo styled, and knowing the works by Kilbey only adds to the fact that the related work has rubbed off.
Fireboy presents 13 new songs, which showcases McLennan narrating about the usual love stories - and especially his lost relationship with former bandmate Amanda Brown - and the subject matter makes it appear as Chapter 2 to his debut focusing on his shattered love life; however, the arrangements here are what really makes this a better album. It's simply more multi-facetted, and where the debut felt like too strongly bonded to former singer / songwriter artists as a one-dimensional ride, this is a more contemporary contribution, which immediately makes me think of Lloyd Cole and yes, Steve Kilbey.
Once again, McLennan demonstrates his ability to write and compose beautiful pop songs in a style founded on a singer / songwriter tradition. He has a gift for melody, which puts him on level with the finest songwriters, but he's also a person who seems in need of support or aid to maintain the course.
[ allmusic.com review (no stars indicated) ]
