Danny Widdicombe - Find Someone (Album)
Danny Widdicombe is a strong soul that has been through thick and thin over recent years battling the threat of cancer and the deterioration of his health. His long-awaited debut album, Find Someone was written and recorded while leukaemia was spreading within his body. As his health worsened there was much concern about whether or not completion of the album was still in sight. His long-time friend Lachlan Goold (Magoo) stepped in, took hold of the situation and brought the album to its conclusion, adding the final touches. Fellow Australian musicians such as Terepai Richmond, James Gillard, Ben Salter, Andrew Morris, Luke Moller, Mel Robinson, and Grant Cummerford made additional contributions. Thus Find Someone is inevitably a story of survival and perseverance for both Widdicombe and his loved-ones. In celebration of the release of Find Someone a collection of Brisbane musicians and bands had gathered on the release date, 21st October 2011 to perform in aid of the talented musician and leukaemia sufferer, Danny Widdicombe. Regardless of the chaos caused by the silent disease, the album is well-written, charismatic, and imaginative and shows a diverse range of musical stylings.
Despite his emotional story, Widdicombe also plays a fundamental part as singer in the bluegrass band The Wilson Pickers and has also played alongside such artists as Karl Broadie, Bernard Fanning and Tim Rogers. Since the release of his two solo albums The Transplant Tapes (2006), and Dominoes (2009), this third album is a stroke of eclectic ingenious all tucked away in a comfortable ten-track compilation. The opening track, “We All Do Better” feels like a typical blues-rock piece but it gets interesting with a groovy synth-pop portion slotted throughout. “No One Else” is the first track that really emphasises his matchless vocals whereas a portion of the tracks are much more alt-country than others, such as “Find Someone” and “Bayan Tree”. “We Could See Mars” opens with a playful string-plucked introduction then out bursts a fanciful guitar solo. “Black Magic” is soulful and atmospheric and features torrents of howling guitar. It’s interesting to learn that Widdicombe made a start on the album capturing many of them at their first-take in the studio. “All Your Secrets” is folk-pop which really reaffirms how Widdicombe is an astoundingly diverse being. “Waiting For You” is like a smoke engulfed blues bar with you in a corner yearning for your lost lover. The final track “Futurotica” does, as the name suggests, sound ‘futuristic’ in comparison to the others. It is the most psychedelic of the lot with the use of plenty vibratos and bends.
Widdicombe is an award winning songwriter and instrumentalist and is nowadays living like there’s no tomorrow, with the support from his family and friends Widdicombe astonishingly gained strength and has returned home to his wife and children. His albums tells a story of headache and heartache which is evident in his music, however a certain happiness and hope is also manifest within. The album art is one to remember with its neon mountaintops and geometric shape printed disk skin; the front in particular has a Tame Impala-esqe feel to it reminding me of their recent 2011 release album titled “Innerspeaker”. He is dreamy yet dark, warm yet strong; he is a fighter and is one hell of a listen! With the release of Find Someone Widdicombe continues to be an important figure in the Australian music scene.
