SAINT JUDE - III LP

After the dust settled a year ago on Saint Jude's second album Saint Jude II, Melbourne's cosmic wayfaring country-soul statesmen took an exploratory leap further into an exceptionally lush writing and production style, pointing the ship towards Laurel Canyon from the hallowed grounds of Muscle Shoals. New album Saint Jude III layers Saint Jude's rambunctiously sweet, harmonic rock n' roll into new, rich folds, all tethered by their jangling guitars, swirling keyboards, thumping rhythm section and the quintet's southern gospel harmonies. Whereas their last offering was recorded in just three days at a rambling country manor, Saint Jude III was pieced together over the better part of a year at singer Brooke Penrose's Captain B studios. You don't have to look too hard for these cues either - Saint Jude III has a real sense of time passing. Seasons change with the songs; from the autumnal grey opener 'As Deep As The Sea' to the sweaty Dr. Dog-inspired summer pop of 'In My Dreams' and the claustrophobic winter blues of 'Other Side Of The World'. To help realise the deeply layered vision, Saint Jude took a collaborative approach to Saint Jude III. A great collection of friends came in to orchestrate their own parts and build a harmonious mix - more than simply decorative, each element is spun deep into the songs, weaving together any hint of frayed edging.