JONNY LOVE
Courage
[Warner]
Jonny Love's 2008 self-titled debut album was a limp acoustic pop offering which left your humble scribe cold, so this hard-hitting collection of ballsy ballads and stadium-sized rockers is a refreshing change and a serious step forward. Courage is the Auckland-based singer-songwriter's second album, and it's aimed directly at filling venues and racking up radio spins - much like Opshop, Muse or Mumford And Sons. Recorded in the UK with a cast of famous names, including producer/drummer Greg Haver (Manic Street Preachers, Opshop), Courage is good old-fashioned rocking pop very well packaged. Love has a great voice and he doesn't over-reach, instead concentrating on hitting his notes effectively; with the huge, guitar-driven wall of sound behind him a more than useful foil. While I personally cannot stand this sort of shit, I also cannot deny this is a fantastic pop-rock record from someone clearly worth keeping an eye on.
3 and 1/2 stars from 5
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