Colin Hay - Going Somewhere

How often is one inspired to buy an album because of TV? I must admit practically never; although I realize there is a greater emphasis on using TV as way to introduce and sell music now than there has in the past. Heck, some shows seem like thirty-minute music videos.

Recently, however, I was inspired by a TV to check out a musician. The TV show was Scrubs and the musician was Colin Hay. I watch Scrubs every now and again – often but not religiously. I enjoy the music on the show, and music is frequently a key part of the show, but never thought much of it - until Colin Hay had a guest appearance. What was unique was that the musician was physically on the show but not performing as such. Instead, Colin just appeared playing his guitar and singing – much like when the actors perform musical numbers as part of the plot. My first reaction was: Who is that? Somewhere in my brain I knew that voice but it took me a minute to bring it to the surface. Then it dawned on me, it was the lead singer of Men at Work! I was not a big Men at Work fan but I owned their greatest hits album and had listened to it a zillion times. Colin’s unique voice was a great part of the bands sound and I liked the idea of him performing solo with just a guitar.

Wanting to know more, I checked online. Sure enough, I found Colin Hay’s website (cleverly titled www.colinhay.com). After clicking around the site I found out that Colin had a live album based on his very popular acoustic concerts entitled Going Somewhere. The next time I was able I picked up the CD. This weekend I got a chance to become familiar with it enough to offer a intelligent (or at least semi-intelligent) review.

The first thing to note about this album is that it really is just a man and his guitar. If that kind of music turns you off then this is not likely for you. Personally, I love singer songwriters and acoustic guitar so this was attractive. If for some reason you hate Men at work you might not like Colin either. Obviously, his unique voice is still at the center; sometimes it comes through very clear others it is not so obviously “the lead singer from Men at Work.” The title track in particular has the sound of the band. What is interesting is the variety Colin gets with just his voice and his guitar. He ranges from melancholy thoughts on life to romantic ballads to blues to rocking tunes. The fact that Colin has lived life and come away with both sadness and wisdom adds depth to the songs. What saves the songs from preachiness or corniness, however, is his ability to leave a part of the meaning to your imagination. The songs are not obvious or one-dimensional. This will allow the album to age rather than get stale.

Article Author: Kevin Holtsberry

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