James Reyne - James Reyne

James Reyne is the debut solo album by Australian singer James Reyne, released in September 1987 via EMI/Capitol Records.

Former Australian Crawl frontman unflinchingly stakes out his claim, producing one of the most striking albums of the late-eighties. James Reyne is the album that established a unique new voice for an already widely established pop icon. From the frenetically edgy opening of "Fall Of Rome", Reyne uses his voice as an instrument, leaping wildly across complex melody lines littered with irresistable hooks.

As if to further distance himself from his former band, Reyne's lyrics take on a greater depth amidst oblique furious rhythms. Rooted in eighties rock, Aussie new wave, and singer-songwriter confessionals, James Reyne bears only hints of the Crawl's breezy melodies.

The album's gemstone is the epic, "Always The Way", in which Reyne builds from a quiet description of a broken affair to a guitar-searing solo and a mournful wail of "Be a master of your destiny/This is not a joke".

With this self-titled manifesto, James Reyne announced his arrival, and it was not a joke.

Check out the tracks: “Fall Of Rome”; “Hammerhead”; “Rip It Up”; “Heaven On A Stick” and “Motor’s Too Fast”.

This LP record is the 20th Anniversary reissue (January 2017) on 180 gram vinyl, pressed in Australia.