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WAYNE PAULI
Farewell Station Rd.
Released: September 2001
Catalogue: WAY001
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| Tracks
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- Who? (Can Relate To You)
- Just Another Day
- Your Silent Ways
- Deep Black Hole
- My Father
- Santa Maria
- Andrea
- Like A Child
- The Sound Of Crying
- Farewell Station Rd.
Download mp3 of Andrea from SAmp3.com
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| Musicians
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- Wayne Pauli: vocals, all instruments
- Graeme Abbott: drums on 1, 2, 7 & 9
- Venessa Nolan: backing vocals on 7 & 9
- Adam Shapiro: violin on 3 & 8
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| Reviews
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Guitarist Wayne Pauli had already recorded some songs at home on his 4-track, in appropriate ‘Nebraska’ style, when he was called in to play most of the guitar sessions on Venessa Nolan's 'Burn' album. He so impressed the boys at Sunset Recording Studios with his skills and commitment, that they happily donated some studio time and invited him back to record his own stuff. You don’t get offers like that every day, and neither do you get to hear SA folk-blues albums as intense and wrenching as what resulted from that grabbed opportunity. The urgent Chris Isaak huskiness of opening track ‘Who? (can relate to you)’ guaranteed immediate chart action, but the rest of the songs move off into true-blues territory, songs about Mom, Dad, ex-girlfriends, crying, farewells, and one called ‘Deep Black Hole’ that probably won’t crop up on the next summer hits collection. But I’m sure Wayne will get brighter, later, if you know what we mean!
Stephen Segerman, December 2001
When the SA Rock Digest published its list of albums of 2001, I was intrigued by the comments made about the number 7 album 'Farewell Station Road' which had not yet reached these far flung shores of the (ex) Empire. I soon rectified the fact that I had not heard this album and I was quickly in agreement with my colleagues at Digest Towers in that 'Farewell Station Road' was indeed worthy of its inclusion in the albums of the year list. In fact it could quite easily be included in the album of the year list every year since it is one that I revisit often.
A quick history lesson for those not in the know. Wayne Pauli played guitar on the Digest's number 5 album of 2001 which was Venessa Nolan's 'Burn', and so impressed those at Sunset Recording Studios (where 'Burn' was recorded) that they gave him some studio time to record this quietly magnificent album.
If one were to draw an emotions graph of this album one would see a sort of roller coaster effect. Starting with the quite upbeat rock track 'Who? (Can Relate to You)'. Pauli then slows things down to the emotionally lowest point at track 4 where you have sunk with him into the bluesiest of 'Deep Black Hole(s)'. From there we climb out via 'My Father' and 'Santa Maria' to meet the beautiful 'Andrea', which after the opening track is probably the most upbeat. Then another little dip down to 'The Sound of Crying' and ending on the up with the Bruce Springsteen/ Nebraska-styled acoustic title track.
Now remember that these peaks and troughs are emotional ones and have nothing to do with the quality, which is at an exceptionally high level throughout. Pauli's playing is superb and his vocals match the songs' content with scary accuracy. He injects a growly world-weariness into 'Deep Black Hole', adds an imploring edginess to 'Your Silent Ways' and brings a whispered, breathy awe-struckedness to the quasi-religious 'My Father'.
If, following the Digest's high rating of this album at the end of 2001, you still didn't go out and buy this, you can still get it at a very good price from One World and I am sure you'll be kicking yourself for not getting it earlier. This is quite frankly one of the best albums to come out of South Africa in recent times. It has certainly stood up proudly to repeated listenings here in London.
John Samson, September 2003
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