The Brag

DAVE GRANEY & THE MISTLY
You’ve Been In My Mind
Fuse
****
The self-proclaimed King Of Pop and the newly-crowned King Of The Dudes, Dave Graney inhabits a strange yet strangely alluring world, where The Beatles don’t rate anywhere near Steely Dan and Marcos Valle reigns supreme as the Brazilian Orpheus. The ex-Moodist and Coral Snake charmer has been incredibly prolific throughout his artistic life and remains one of the few songwriters to have maintained a flawless creative streak for over seven years – as 2009’s Knock Yourself Out, 2010’s Supermodified and last year’s re-recorded “greatest hits” Rock & Roll Is Where I Hide attest. Recorded live in the studio with the incorruptible Lurid Yellow Mist (freshly rechristened The mistLY), You’ve Been In My Mind is yet another fantastic addition to the SA-born Melbournian’s catalogue.

Naturally, the songs are superb: ‘Flash In The Pantz’, ‘We Need A Champion’, ‘Cop This, Sweetly”, the weirdly nostalgic ‘Mt Gambier Night’, the aforementioned ‘King Of The Dudes’ and the self-effacing closer ‘I’m Not The Guy I Tried To Be’ are all vintage DG nuggets. As ever, Graney disperses sneering “ooh”s and lascivious “mmm”s between his savage witticisms, all the while playing the jazziest 12-string electric guitar since Roger McGuinn’s ‘Eight Miles High’ Coltrane-isms. The top-notch accompaniment is likewise a familiar delight, with Clare Moore effortlessly switching between rhythm patterns, Stu Thomas – who might just be one of the finest white bass players in this land – maintaining the swing, and Stu Perera taking his left-handed Rickenbacker for a walk in areas Nels Cline has yet to tread.

Never a flash in the pan, Dave Graney again proves he isn’t the kind of an artist who’ll be on your mind after you’ve absorbed his tonne-weighing shtick. Instead, he’ll be in your mind.

Denis Semchenko