Culture

Self-Released
4/5

Ditching the economic themes prominent in the songwriting of his previous release (Love and Economics), Tono presses on, not forgetting to bring his wit and dry sense of humour to this new set of tunes. Lyrically this latest effort excels, with Tono proving to be especially capable of looking at the world through the eyes of the many protagonists encased within this fine collection of songs. With a cast of characters ranging from undiscovered musicians (‘Barry Smith from Hamilton’) to elderly lovers (‘Describing The Harbour’) Tono convincingly transforms himself into these 'fragile' personalities and by doing so gives you a glimpse of their dreams, fears, disappointments, and desires. He transports you to a place where the thoughts of these characters run free and all that's left for you to do is revel in the sheer honesty of it all. “How do I be a man? Is it with a firm handshake?” a young, insecure male questions himself in the ear-catching title track, ‘Fragile Thing’.
Whether this character is spraying on a little bit of “manfume” or carefully following set instructions from fashion magazines, his efforts to try to be 'the stereotypical man' are out in the open for you to laugh at, sympathise with, or even relate to. This is all complemented by the driving rhythm provided by Chris Miller (bass) and Andrew Straight (drums). The bass chugs along with an instinctive passion yet manages to thump on gracefully through slow waves of majestic guitar lines and shimmering parades of splashing cymbals.
The musicians serve the songs well, sweeping over and under Tono's charming croon and providing a fine backdrop for the stories, or rather the characters, to unfold and take shape. Overall this latest release definitely showcases some impressive songwriting and if I were forced to draw comparisons I would probably say Lawrence Arabia, The Divine Comedy, or even the recent output of Dunedin band The Verlaines. If this sounds like your cup of tea, drink up; and if it doesn't, don't be afraid to take a sip.