TAMI NEILSON
TAMI NEILSON
Don’t Be Afraid Canadian-raised, New Zealand-based roots singer/songwriter Tami Neilson made a real splash internationally with 2015’s Dynamite! ¸ an album that showcased both her force-of-nature voice and serious songwriting chops. Both are on vivid display on Don’t Be Afraid, but in a significantly different musical setting. There are still elements of the retro country and rockabilly styles, but Neilson places new emphasis on soul and gospel. That suits the deeply personal themes, which address the loss of her father and musical mentor, Ron Neilson. He’s represented as a songwriter here via the title track and “Lonely,” a previously unrecorded song he wrote as a young man that’s spruced up by Tami. Gospel strains come to the fore on both “Bury My Body,” a sparse tune that shows off those prodigious pipes, and “Holy Moses,” a rousing barnburner. The upbeat, Latin-esque revelry of “Loco Mama” adds some needed levity to proceedings halfway through, then it’s back to the heartwrenching ballads with “Heavy Heart” and “Only Tears.” Neilson closes things out with a beautifully sung ballad, “The First Man,” a love letter to her father, “the first man to ever hold me in his arms.” This is followed by a short excerpt of the title track, one sung in a strained fashion by Ron Neilson, literally from his deathbed, punctuated by the sound of his oxygen machine. If this doesn’t move you, it’s time for a “heart missing” alert. Don’t Be Afraid is a powerful tribute to a father from his daughter. The emotions explored so eloquently here resonate deeply. (Outside, outside-music.com)
DON’TBEAFRAID IS DEFINITELY A DEPARTURE FROM DYNAMITE! HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THOSE DIFFERENCES?
With Dynamite!, it was a country foundation but with blues and rockabilly and soul flavours. Don’t Be Afraid is a foundation of soul, blues and gospel, with some country flavours. It is still all the same family but with a reversed ratio I guess.
THE PRESENCE OF YOUR LATE FATHER LOOMS LARGE HERE.
I wanted to honour him by using his music in the project as well. I really became driven for this to be all about dad and not really about me at all. My brother Jay and I found “Lonely” in a folder of old demos on dad’s computer. I’m sure he put it there for me to find. KERRY DOOLE