Album Review: Halfway - The Golden Halfway Record

Halfway aren’t your run of the mill outfit. For starters, their formative years were in Rockhampton - a tough town in the middle of cattle territory in Northern Queensland. Halfway are now based in Brisbane and have swelled their numbers to become an eight piece.

The Golden Halfway Record sees Halfway bridge the gap between Americana and power pop with just enough twang to deftly shade their bright melodies. Having taken the trip to Nashville to work with Lambchop’s uber-producer Mark Nevers, they have added a crispness to their dusty charm. 

The first single is the brisk Brett Canham's Leather Jacket, a tune that recalls a childhood friend who was unapologetically flamboyant in the uncompromising railway town of the band’s youth, even when it was to his detriment. There is many references to home as the narratives of core duo John Busby and Chris Dale tend towards the nostalgic with a healthy dose of guitar grunt and distortion coming along for the ride.

Five albums in, The Golden Halfway Record is appropriately titled. It is an album that is expertly crafted and has the extra sheen of a band not afraid to up the ante. The Golden Halfway Record is a little bit country, a little bit indie rock'n'roll and a whole lot of satisfying. 

Originally published in X-Press Magazine