Adrian Whitehead - One Small Stepping Man (Album)
Life’s been quite busy for Adrian Whitehead, with his flight to the moon imminent and also the release of his debut album, One Small Stepping Man. From his 60’s valve space bubble, circling high above this planet, he has finally beamed down his debut musical offering. Ten tidy pop songs, each one a masterful musical story about those funny little people called humans.
“Each song on the album is a little snapshot of a time or place and my part in it. A girl who has a lot of growing up to do, a lost friend, a murderous record producer, a girl, a share house, another girl…” says Adrian.
The Rolling Stone record guide once said that not liking the Beatles was as perverse as not liking the sun; the same could be said of this disc. A soft classic pop formula similar to Dave Dill and Brent Cash, Adrian uses simple catchy melodies with a nod to The Beatles and a very smooth clean production style similar to Dave Stephens.
“I nearly always call my music pop music but actually it’s nothing like what pop music has become today. It’s more like 60’s pop. The focus is on the song – melodic tunes, maybe you’ll get a message lyrically maybe not. I guess I’m trying to carry on the tradition of those great songwriters like Lennon McCartney, Carole King, Brian Wilson…” says Adrian.
The opening track, Caitlin’s 60’s Pop Song, is a perfect opener, all cascading melody and gentle rhythms, Radio One is just as melodic and Julia is a perfect tribute to John Lennon (may be even better than the Beatle track of the same name). There is even a song on here called Spector’s Dead so maybe Adrian knows something we don’t know? The rest of the record is all aces too, so for a country that gave up pop maestros the Go-Betweens, Adrian Whitehead and his band have done their country proud.
Years of multi-flavoured musical experiences combine to colour Adrian's unique brand of songwriting. Over the past 8 years he has played piano with numerous Australian artists such as Even, The Badloves, Pollyanna, Sophie Koh and Abby Dobson. Adrian Whitehead is a bright new talent and we should be talking about him for some years to come. One Small Stepping Man is a grown up sound that reels you in with its infectious melodies and delicious arrangments.
