Barry Saunders: Red Morning

By RUSSELL BAILLIE

(Herald rating: * * * * )

The post-Warratahs solo albums of veteran Wellington singer-songwriter Saunders never seem to have quite caught on with the folks who warmed to his old country outfit. They, and anybody with a lasting affection for the likes of John Hiatt, Steve Earle or Paul Kelly, would be foolish to ignore this one.

Care of the best bunch of songs that Saunders has yet assembled, the warm and colourful production by Mike Gibson and former Muttonbird David Long (who adds deft touches of guitar, dobro, banjo and mandolin throughout), Red Morning emerges as a delightful, offbeat collection of rock'n'twang.

Despite Saunders' acoustic-based country leanings, the 12 tracks offer more than variation to keep things humming along. The opening title track lopes into the album's first lovely chorus of many, through to the country-gothic suggested by Wind In The Pines and the closing Unreal World.

There's a rustic soul groove behind Hands of Fire and half-time instrumental The Stumbling Man surely has a life as the theme to the next quirky television drama where the star leaves the city for a laidback life in the country.

It sounds like this old hand has lifted his game. Warmly recommended.

Label: Mana/Universal