Finally, A Party Record (Limited Edition Opaque Yellow / Translucent Red Split Vinyl)

From its late-‘70s LA party vibes to its cheeky cover artwork nod to Rod Stewart, Davey Lane’s new long-player, ‘Finally, A Party Record’, lives up to its title… and then some.

“The title’s pretty clearly ironic,” Lane qualifies. “It presented itself as a bit of a gag on the thematic tone of the record, while it's up tempo musically, for the most part it’s a bit of a bummer trip, maaan.”

A bummer of a party record? All aboard! As a quality songwriter, writing rock-poppin’ gems with stings in their tales is Lane’s business, after all.

Lane began accruing this collection of musical ideas during the enforced quiet of the long COVID lockdown.

“Living in Melbourne during the dark ages was pretty odd, but I’m an introverted person, and I was fortunate enough to live in a house where I could have all my all my instruments and equipment set up to record, and no distractions or time limits. I kinda thrived in it.” Lane explains.

The songs that emerged during this period were the instrumental funk-sci-fi opener ‘Mach IV’, the soul-worthy ‘Not Expecting To Fly’, the soul-searching Remedies and song Noel Gallagher will wish he wrote, ‘Flippant Words’. The creative juices were flowing, but when lockdown ended and the music industry got its legs back Lane says he was touring twice as much as before while everyone made up for lost time. As a result the album was placed somewhat on the backburner.

Even so, there was still a scratch waiting to be itched and by the time that Lane returned to Melbourne from the road and was able to remain there for a reasonable period of time, the homes fires were burning. Fresh with ideas he penned ‘Over, Over And Out’, ‘An Absent Lover’, ‘Saint Me’ and ‘If It Can Rain, It’ll Rain’.

Recordings were made in between Lane’s road commitments, with bassist Luke Hodgson and drummer Sam Raines – who were also the rhythm section for the last tour Lane did with Todd Rundgren – forming the core trio. Jazz Party’s Loretta Miller, who Lane regards as one of the best singers in the country, also contributed vocals.

As a result, there’s many a life to the party. The ‘70s blue-eyed soul of ‘Not Expecting To Fly’ is one of many love letters to Lane’s eclectic tastes. While the likes of ‘He’s A DJ’ finds him driving in the more familiar fab-guitar-rock Lane, our party host brings out the disco shoes for ‘An Absent Lover’ (featuring Nitida from Melbourne’s Don’t Thank Me, Spank Me on guest vocals) and the dancefloor dutifully runneths over.

The heartstrings will tug upon listening to ‘Over, Over And Out’ with its hints of Lane’s beloved Jeff Lynne, then tear on the album closer, ‘If It Can Rain, It’ll Rain’. It takes you higher in the most poignant way in a fade-out of sax and singalong.

After 26 years as guitarist for You Am I and collaborations with the likes of Todd Rundgren, Crowded House, Jimmy Barnes, Robyn Hitchcock and more, Lane has a rock’n’roll pedigree that is second to none. His solo career illuminates why he is so highly regarded by so many musical greats as he forges onward with his own inspired and eclectic musical path.