Award winning indie-rock and art-pop star, Sarah Blasko, returns to bless our ears with the full cover of GANGajang’s, ‘Sounds of Then (This Is Australia)’. We’ve already heard snippets of the track featured on TV, but when announcing its release on Instagram, Blasko writes, “[B]ut I’m putting it out in the world … so you can listen to the whole thing.”
Unlike the song’s original classic 1980s Australian rock vibe, Blasko slows it down and transforms it into a force that could calm a rowdy pub on a Friday night.
With a tone like Lana Del Rey’s but with a fullness that is all her own, Blasko brings Mark Callaghan’s lyrics to life with the poise and clarity of a seasoned professional. While Blasko’s vocals take centre stage, the instrumental arrangement (with Nick Wales on strings, Laurence Pike on drums and David Symes on bass) perfectly coaxes along her haunting vocals from start to finish. When asked about the track, Blasko said:
“The lyrics conjure up a vivid sense of place and I love that about the song. The guitar ‘hook’ magically captures a feeling of space in the landscape and we recreated that with my voice and the strings …”
Knowing that Blasko is also playing the piano gives the track an intimacy that invites the listener further into its world of stormy Australian afternoons and grey suburban homes. If that wasn’t enough, she also produced the song. Once again, Blasko proves why she is a staple in the Australian music scene. ‘Sounds Of Then (This Is Australia)’ is out now!