I don’t have a ready genre slot in which to shove this, but there’s a Bill Hicks quote in the liner notes, so I had a good listen: Hicks knew what was missing, and he would’ve loved this. Spoken to souled grooves, following its own muse; say ‘hip-hop’ if you want to but that doesn’t cover it.

Open the liner, read the white-on-black notes, the poems that this man wrote. The rhyme is sparse, subtle, inventive, doesn’t drown out the content. This poet delivers, riffing in English ‘til the language quivers — but he doesn’t let it splinter. He holds it together.

‘You’re not my Yoko so I cropped the photo and I rocked it solo.’

‘I had one too many one-way conversations with the liggy liggy Lord until I grew a scissor tongue and c-c-cut the cord. I put the phone on the floor, detached the wires in my head. It took a while to accept that that line was dead.’

This poetry is spoken over flows of melody — aching, pacing — and rhythmic attack. Indie-roar electric and stringtalk acoustic, loose and eclectic, full of emotion. Full-on production by Brian Deck.

‘They’re selling a click track but they call it a soul clap.’

Don’t give it to a Christian. They won’t like the diction. The knife inserted into organised religion. Because Francis grew up American like Lisa among the Simpsons but he didn’t let the shame and hate hold him back.

(Reviewed for RTR-FM.)

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for being here to commemorate the life of my dear mother-in-law, Mary Louise Johnson.

Mary was much loved by many family and friends, and I’m honoured today to be able to tell you a little about her life.

…

As well as a loving wife, Mary was an enterprising businesswoman. Soon after her marriage she opened a shop in Smith Street — appropriately for Mary, a hairdressing salon. She wasn’t a hairdresser herself, but an entrepreneur, employing several stylists. She named the salon ‘Mary Louise’, and with her hard work and attention to detail, it did well. After a couple of years she was able to open a second salon in Davis Street. Eventually she was able to sell both for a handsome profit, which gave Joe the finance to set up his construction, concrete and limestone businesses.

…

One of Mary’s favourite TV shows was ‘Neighbours’. She never missed an episode and became wrapped up in the story. Tammy once answered the phone and got a shock to hear Mary crying.

‘What’s wrong, Mum?’ she said.

It turned out that one of the characters on ‘Neighbours’ had died.

…

Mary leaves behind three children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was a great and beautiful lady who gave all of us her unselfish love and many happy memories. In conclusion I’d like to read a poem for her.