The open drone of acoustic guitar greets your ears as you start to listen to Tex Perkins’ new album with the Dark Horses, Tunnel At The End Of The Light. It sounds like it could be passed off as a Tom Waits record as Perkins brings what sounds like a whiskey soaked swagger to his vocals. It’s genuine and eerie and is quite a slow builder to the album. The chord progressions to this album sound a little dissonant and jarring at times but that lends to some indulgent listening. The song writing is powerful and majestic and it is an impressive follow up to 2012’s Everyone’s Alone.
One of the coolest and bravest things on this record is ‘Slide On By’, which opens with rollicking electric guitar and harmonica, and talking about bravery the song goes for eight minutes. Who does that on a modern day album? Tex Perkins that’s who, and it is bloody brilliant at that. Well done Tex on a great new album and if eerie Australian rock with cinematic elements is your thing then look no further than Tunnel At The End Of The Light.
Out now via Dark Horse Records / Inertia
Reviewed by Tex Miller