Out of work but not talent

DSS and other things
Tribe of New
Send $25 to PO Box 95, Wyongah, NSW 2259

Review by James Smith

Unfortunately, being a musician often involves an intimate, intense and often dysfunctional relationship with Centrelink, usually resulting in feelings of regret and betrayal. Ahh, the things we do for love!

DSS and other things is a first release by Sydney acoustic threesome Tribe of New. The 12-track CD brings together some of the city's finest young musicians — headliners Daryl Aberhart and Tim Campbell (formerly of The Strange), Peter Neville (Trout fishing in Quebec) as well Joe Accaria (Cactus Child, and Floyd Vincent and the Childbrides). On this CD — and live — the playing is high calibre.

The CD was produced over the last four years and covers the band's evolution. It displays a wide variety of styles and influences including acoustic pop, rock, funk and soul. Vocalist Aberhart can really sing, shifting between sweet soul vocals and a harder-edged rock.

Many of the songs are introspective, highlighting those feelings of desperation, hopelessness, frustration and isolation that so many young people identify with. The title track examines the unemployed's fortnightly ritual feelings of personal rejection and uselessness, resulting from the "need to justify my life before a strange and hardened person\For fear I might never eat again".

But it's not all bleak and the album doesn't incite self-mutilation. The first single "Don't seem strange" celebrates the enjoyment found in a relationship based on mutual trust and respect. There is also an instrumental track, "Paddock bash" — the perfect soundtrack for driving that unregistered HR Holden around Chooka's muddy cow paddock in Mudgee.

It's encouraging to see pop musicians using their art to make social comment. Unemployment and feelings of worthlessness are taking a heavy toll on young people. It's a pity more hasn't been made of the links, but perhaps that step will take place on Tribe of New's next album.

From GLW issue 300