Darren Hanlon
Pointing Ray Guns at Pagans
15 Track, LP (2009, Flippin Yeah)
Related: Darren Hanlon.
There’s a certain brilliance to Darren Hanlon. Under the polite and humble surface lies a spectacular songwriter; one able to create a whole scene from the sum of its subtleties. He’s a storyteller, as my father would say, and a fine one at that. Hanlon is known for his wit and clever turn of phrase, but for me, it was always his softer, poignant moments that sealed the deal.
Pointing Ray Guns at Pagans, an album made up of rarities and B-sides, has both these elements – from the resignedly sad vignettes of ‘Lights’ and the regretful hindsight of ‘My Life A Blur’ to the fanboy charm of ‘Eli Wallach’ and the funny word plays of ‘Yes, There Is A Slight Chance He Might Actually Fail’. ‘Spend Christmas Day With Me’ is possibly the most perfect Australian Christmas song I’ve ever heard, and ‘The Loaf’, the funniest. That said, there’s a reason these songs were mostly B-sides. Though good, some great, Hanlon has done much better throughout his career. Even some of these tracks – re-recorded here – have been done better. Originally wonderful in their simplicity, many songs now feel overweight. It is this let’s-add-a-tuba mentality that often overloads too many pop songs. Quite a shame.
For fans, this record will be a welcome and exciting addition to a record collection, as it is for me. New listeners would be advised to start elsewhere – like the beginning - before visiting Pointing Ray Guns at Pagans. Fall in love with Hanlon first. It won’t be hard.
by A.H. Cayley
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