Seemingly unsatisfied by the homogeneity of
Hard Reyne,
Reyne expands his musical boundaries with oddball collaborations with Jim Vallance (of Bryan Adams fame) and
Tony Joe White (Louisiana swamp-rocker). The result is an invigorated
Reyne, who seems to be having a great time winding his voice around gorgeous melodies and intense rants alike. The lyrics have a more subtle edge to them; while they actually seem lighter than those of
Reyne's vitriolic debut, they actually reach much deeper below the surface: "Never make the effort and there's no welcome at the door/Desolation angel, watching, waiting" (from "Black And Blue World"). Despite its nutty had-to-be-changed-for-America title, Digger Dandy finds a more introspective experimental
Reyne, one content to play the music at a lower level and let his words and stiletto voice speak for itself. Note:
Reyne followed this album with another unusual collaboration, a cover of
The Dingoes' "Way Out West" with country star
James Blundell, the massive proceeds of which benefited the Australian National Farmer's Federation, desperate for relief from severe droughts.) ~ Tomas Mureika