Galleon

The first solo album by former Boom Crash Opera guitarist Richard Pleasance was a sad look at an ended relationship. A showcase of Pleasance's undoubted musical virtuosity, the album had a similar feel to recordings by Crowded House or Deborah Conway (who appeared as a vocalist on Galleon). If nothing else, Galleon demonstrated that Pleasance was one of Australia's finest musicians, with him playing almost all the instruments used on the album. More than that, though, Galleon was a collaborative effort between some of the best musicians of the day: from guest vocals by Deborah Conway to drumming by Crowded House's Paul Hester and Boom Crash Opera's Peter Maslen, as well as harmonica from the brilliant bluesman Chris Wilson. Galleon was full of intensely personal songs, covering the full gamut of emotions that accompany the breakdown of a relationship. Songs covered emotional territory from the angry "Don't Cry" (mandolin-driven, no less), to the optimistic feel of the lead single (and best track from this set) "Sarah (I Miss You)." Other highlights were the sad, resigned "River of Love," the lullaby-like "It Won't Be Long" and the bitter "Why Can't You Love Me?." While the subject matter may be a little tiring to the casual listener by the end, Galleon was nonetheless an album of fine songs backed by impeccable musicianship. It was a shame, then, that this album did not receive the sort of attention it deserved, as it showed Richard Pleasance stepping out from the shadow of Boom Crash Opera, and demonstrated his ability to write more than just catchy pop songs.