ANGRY BIRDS ALBUM REVIEW

The most ambitious effort so far from this Brisbane singer-songwriter

Ben Stewart co-produced Emma Dean's latest effort, and she returns the favour for his third album. She also serves as a back-up singer and violinist while her brother Tony handles drums. But there's no doubt the spotlight still falls on Stewart's dramatic, seesawing vocals. It initially reminds of Jeff Buckley and David Bowie but, while that makes perfect pop sense, there's also a theatre-like dynamic weaving back through New Romanticism and Glam to end up somewhere this side of Vaudeville. It's a showy style that would wear thin if there weren't more substance behind it. Fortunately, substance is not something that Stewart lacks. He writes songs full of drama and action, designed to get pulses racing and yet still sounding both intricate and adventurous. The album kicks off with possibly an ironic note in a wonky waltz called Things Have To End To Begin. From here, Stewart proves he has a knack for eye-catching titles like Our Own Private Communism, Tiny Furry Happy Animals and Miss You Like A Burning House. But he also fleshes out the interiors of these songs in a way that grips you between the ears. If you weren't paying attention to Stewart before, Angry Birds will do it for you.

BILL HOLDSWORTH (RAVE MAGAZINE - June 22, 2009)

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