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What makes this CD stand out it the lyrics. “Write about what you know” is the golden rule for writing, I’ve heard, and it seems that Dom Cooley has followed this. So, what you get is a window on the life and times of Dom Cooley. And those times have tumultuous, dark and sometimes this made me feel a little uncomfortable with Dom’s exposure and his honesty. But I love that. If it’s good, it’ll take a bit of getting used to, I believe.
The opening track, Nicked Vein, is an example of this. What has been written in this song cannot be sourced from a third person, and gives us the first glimpse that Dom has had more than his fair share of self-destructive, miserable times. But he flips the feeling with the follow-up track, Happy Today, saying we should be happy for what we have, and not focus on what we don’t. Obvious, yeah? Well kind-of. It is when you say it out loud, but for many the feeling of underachieving, of wanting more, can drive a person to their death instead of motivating them to healthy action - see Nicked Vein.
Musically, Dom complements his lyrics with a folk style, with some great melodies, and a tinge of the feeling I get from listening to the Flaming Lips. Just as their lyrics are direct, and with amazing melodies, so too is Dom’s music, but with a more roots-y sound, and less production. So, it’s a CD with happy songs, happy-sounding songs with a touch of tragedy, and tragic songs. Fresh and worth a Listen.
7/10
David Williams - Sauce Magazine, Tasmania
Discography
Debut Album - This Can Only End One Way, 2008.
3rd Person Female released on Acoustika Volume 7 through 272 records
Photos
Bio
Anyone who has had the experience of meeting Dom Cooley will know he is truly an individual. Its not often you see the heckler propped up by the bar get up and sing, but Dom Cooley fills both the role of heckler and performer perfectly, giving you a blend of original folk and acoustic sounds rich with story-telling lyrics. Although long overdue, the first album from this extraordinary performer ‘This Can Only End One Way’ is a perfect introduction into the world of an unusual and captivating artist.
The last couple of years have seen Dom forgoing live performance for travel, surgery on his left hand, and the labour of love that has been his new album. “It all started in January 2006 at my last gig before moving to Melbourne (at the Zoo in Brisbane) Stu was in Pacesetter who were also playing and I was living with Liam the bass player.. After my set Stu came up to me and said he had a proposition for me.... He wanted to record and produce my album.. and so the process started…”
Following was years of work, beginning with the initial recording in January 2007, in the house Dom was raised in “I came up to Brisbane for one week, Stu organised a bunch of recording gear and we turned the house I grew up in, to a recording studio... It was an awesome week and everyone did their parts amazingly. There was also a fair bit of alcohol consumed and a bit of poker played. There was something really cool about recording in the house that I’d lived in from since I was 4 months old with a bunch of people who I consider to be some of my best friends... It just had a great atmosphere, plus we felt we were really making a great sounding album”.
Two years and a whole lot of red wine later, Dom’s first album ‘this can only end one way’ is finally finished.
Originally a Brisbane lad, Dom made the move to Melbourne in 2006 and hasn’t looked back. His early years are memories of Elvis blaring through the stereo, but it wasn’t until the music of Bob Dylan entered his life that songwriting became a passion. Originally busking on the streets of Brisbane, before moving indoors to any venue that would let him get up, Dom has played with an impressive list of Australian folk and blues artists such as Mick Hart, Carus and the true believers, Sime Nugent, Loren, Rob Sawyer, Jackie Marshall, Nathan Kaye and many others. Added to that, one of the tracks from his forthcoming album, 3rd Person Female is already circulating college radio in the United States on a compilation album ‘Acoustika volume 7’ released through 272 records.
The long wait is almost over with a tour to accompany the album release havinf taken place in November/December 2008.
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