Tim Rogers & Tex Perkins

Who would have known that my two favourite Australian songmen would team up to release a soulful little acoustic album, under the deceptively rock'n'roll guise, TNT. Tim Rogers and Tex Perkins (hence T 'n' T) are leading lights in Australian rock, each coming out with an album every year or so, leading bands of various constellation. Last time we saw these two guys together was when Tex and You Am I covered AC/DC's "Dirty Deeds" as a promo for the Australian film of the same name - Tex barking the lyrics over very dirty guitar. So, I had in mind something of this nature when I first heard news of the current project. However, the album cover for "My Better Half" features the two dudes in bed together, apparently naked, which is the first hint that this is a more intimate affair than you might have expected. Vocal responsibilites are shared equally. The songs are akin to those on Tex's solo albums - which themselves are haunting and beautiful, a world away from the rollicking grooves of the Cruel Sea. Tim's songs are in the spirit of "Heavy Heart" and the acoustic tracks he recorded with the Temperance Union ("Some Fella's Heartbreaker", "Damn Songs", etc.). It's only a shame that Tex is a little bit too liberal with his upper register on this album. Nevertheless, they're touring right now, and apparently doing some shows with orchestral accompaniment, which would be great to see. As luck would have it, the only show they're doing in Brisbane is for FREE, at the Valley Fiesta next weekend. Link: http://www.tnt.net.au