Welcome To Gippsland

From Sean McMahon, singer/songwriter for Melbourne’s Downhills Home comes a brand new album, Welcome to Gippsland. Part lament, part celebration – and with a slight tongue in cheek –Welcome to Gippsland is a collection of fictional narratives from the perspectives of four characters whose stories bring to life ‘the dark side of the great dividing range’.There’s Mary, born and bred in the valley and drawn into the city in search of something to fill her emotional void, only to experience a longing to be back where ‘the boys get drunk, and the girls get bored’. Mary’s sister Case, who steals her boyfriend’s car in an effort to find a better life. A father trying to justify his parental failings and a friend of Jim’s, trying to avoid following the fate of his father, last heard of doing a stretch inside for a heinous crime. The cast of special guest vocalists bring the stories to life, providing each character a unique voice. Liz Stringer’s nonchalant delivery of the mellencholy ‘Dark Side of the Great Divide’ is perfect for the character Mary, Matt Walker sings a haunting lament on ‘the Butcher Tree’ and Laura Jean sings ‘Out In The Woods For The Weekend’ as if she’s telling you a secret that should never be repeated.The blend of sparse country licks, and sombre blues sensibility provide both depth and colour to the images –trains rolling into town, drunken late night escapades, cars driving off for destinations unknown – that make up McMahon’s stories. The CD comes with a beautifully illustrated booklet, its content reflecting the lush natural environment within which McMahon’s stories are played out.The protagonists in Welcome To Gippsland may not be pretty, yet possess a contentment and serenity at odds with the challenges each character faces. Despite the difficulties inherent in their lives, the characters are replete with hope, trying desperately to forget a better life – whether it’s through legal or nefarious means.I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)