Sir Dave Dobbyn - Album Review: Slice Of Heaven - 40 Years Of Hits
How does one begin to review an album which has been the soundtrack of our youth? The backdrop to collective memories of a nation? An album which spans ten decades of well known and loved hits, songs written by a man who in 2001 received a Lifetime Achievement Award by the New Zealand Music Industry. A recording artist, musician and songwriter, a treasure of the nation. How shall I review this? Starting with a warning - this Album may take you on an emotional journey down memory lane. Listener beware!.
This album of 21 tracks has been released to coincide with his nationwide tour which kicks off on the 12th of April in Whangarei. The tour sees two weeks of performances not only in our major cities, but also provincial locations up and down the country.
The opening track Slice Of Heaven featuring Herbs, is one of two songs on this album he recorded for the soundtrack on the 1986 Footrot Flats film: A Dogs Tale, the other being You Oughta Be In Love. Misty eyed memory triggers right there.
There are a couple of tracks harking right back to Th' Dudes (Be Mine Tonight), winner of single of the year at the National Music Awards in 1979, and DD Smash (Magic What She Do), history making songs which are still no doubt played on jukeboxes in pubs all over NZ and more than likely Australia too. It would be some years later which he launched his solo career, with the majority of 40 Years Of Hits being a testament to Dobbyn's talent as a lone musical artist and songwriter.
This album and tour comes hot on the heels of Dave's 10th studio album as a solo artist, Harmony House, which was released in 2016, and indicates that he has no intention of slowing down.
This is not only background music of our lives, this is music to our cherished movies, music we loved to and more then likely cried to, songs we danced to and sang to, music that has inspired pride of a nation and also some debate. Songs which has seen collaborations with some of New Zealand's biggest musical artists and songs which have been covered by bands for decades.
Thank you Dave for giving us this iconic Kiwi soundtrack of our lives.
Released April 6th 2017 by Sony Music New Zealand.
About Sir Dave Dobbyn
In 2001, after almost 30 years as a musician and songwriter, Dobbyn was given a rare, lifetime achievement award by the New Zealand recording industry. Instead of a speech, the managing director of Sony New Zealand just read out a long list of song titles - Beside You, Be Mine Tonight, Language, Outlook for Thursday, Loyal, Whaling, Kingdom Come, It Dawned On Me, Guilty, Devil You Know, Slice of Heaven, Magic What She Do, Oughta Be in Love …
These songs, written by Dobbyn, had moved people throughout the country. They were songs they had danced to with their first lover, songs they have married to, songs that made them laugh and cry or even played when burying their loved ones.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Sir Dave Dobbyn
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