Emma Russack and Lachlan Denton - Take The Reigns

When we write that we like everything about Take The Reigns, we mean everything. And that starts with the cover art. There is no stylish 'we could be models' shot, no arty arrangement of the two artists staring in different directions, no defiant 'rebels with a cause' pose. Instead, we have a shot of two real people: Emma with her mouth full and pointing at Lach; and Lach with a can of beer sitting in front of him. They could be in your back yard (and we wish they were in our back yard). The artists are Emma Russack and Lachlan Denton, both well known in Australia (and in knowledgeable circles in the wide world) for their solo work, their two prior records together (Keep On Trying and When It Ends, both in 2018), and for Lach, as a member of Ocean Party.

For this record, the duo have collaborated on ten sparkling songs that, for the most part, walk the sunny side of the lane. We have already shared "Catch" (link), "Help" and "Love For Myself" (link), three bouncing pop songs that any songwriter with a heart and a brain would be thrilled to claim. Of course, the easy tactic here would be to stream them again because their memorable melodies, hooks, and smart lyrics would make us look clever for choosing them. But that approach wouldn't expose you to other gems, so we have offered a few more below. The right choice for any reader would be to stream the choices below, then hit the Bandcamp link and stream the entire album while choosing your desired version. Be assured that it goes well with breakfast, when the sun goes down and anytime in between. We consider it a warm hug of an album -- but not the kissy kissy pink unicorns kind of hug. This is the kind of genuine hug between adults that still leaves room for saying "you could use a haircut", "you forgot to pick up the stuff at the cleaners", or "you weren't as charming as you thought you were after that third glass of wine". It is friendly and accessible, yet manages to be totally terrific (just like us after three glasses of wine, we think).

Take The Reigns is out today via Osborne Again, Bobo Integral, and Spunk Records. You not only want it, you need it.








Bandcamp for Take The Reigns