Goodnight, Bull Creek!
Encyclopedia
Goodnight, Bull Creek! is the third studio album
by Australia
n rock
musician Kevin Mitchell
, under his pseudonym Bob Evans. It was released through EMI
on 3 April 2009. The album was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee
, with producer Brad Jones
(Sheryl Crowe). The title of the album comes from the Perth
suburb of Bull Creek
where Mitchell lived between the ages of 5 and 18. Mitchell has said using it in the title of his album "was just something that gave me a cheap thrill ... to name it in a song ("Someone So Much"). Then I took it to the next step of it being the title of the record. It made sense."
The album debuted and peaked at number 22 on the ARIA Albums Chart
.
Kevin Rudd
's apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008. Mitchell has said he would converse with friends over the issue, "After one of those conversations the lyrics of the chorus came to me. It was influenced very much by what was going on with Sorry Day. As I wrote more, it took on a broader scope. It's about what's happening all over the world. The issue of reconciliation is rooted in poverty and disadvantage. It's a sad reflection on humanity."
Mitchell toured the album with a backing band that includes The Sleepy Jackson
's drummer Malcolm Clark, and Hugh Jennings who was formerly in End of Fashion
.
, Kangaroo Valley
and Sydney. It features Mitchell together with an assortment of animated cut out animals.
The second single, "Pasha Bulker", is inspired by the 2007 grounding of the bulk carrier
, MV Pasha Bulker
, on Nobbys Beach in Newcastle
but is fuelled by Mitchell’s feelings of being lost at sea during a bout of depression in 2007. The video for the song was released on 22 March 2009, and was directed and produced by Johnny Lopez and Richard Ellis of Candela Films. The single was released digitally on 22 May 2009. The song was used by the Nine Network
for promotional adverts for the 2009 season of Sea Patrol
.
The third single released was "Hand Me Downs" on 28 August 2009. The song is Mitchell's account of life as a working-class musician – his wife's a teacher, they rent, they buy second-hand clothes.
noted a heavier sound in their review, saying the third album has "more of a driving rock feel than his previous efforts". Mitchell himself said of the album; "This is my rock album. I’m saying goodbye to the suburbs."
, a suburb in Melbourne
.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
musician Kevin Mitchell
Kevin Mitchell (musician)
Kevin Edward Mitchell , is an Australian musician, known for his role as the vocalist and guitarist of the alternative rock band Jebediah and also his solo work under the stage name of Bob Evans....
, under his pseudonym Bob Evans. It was released through EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
on 3 April 2009. The album was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, with producer Brad Jones
Brad Jones (musician)
Brad Jones is a Power pop music producer, and singer/songwriter. He has produced music for Cotton Mather, Matthew Sweet, Imperial Drag, Jill Sobule, and Marshall Crenshaw-Gilt-Flake:Label: Ginger Records Release: June 6, 2000Tracks:*The Blunderbuss...
(Sheryl Crowe). The title of the album comes from the Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
suburb of Bull Creek
Bull Creek, Western Australia
Bull Creek is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the local government area of City of Melville.-History:The name was adopted by the City of Melville Council in December 1968. The creek was named after an early settler, Lt Henry Bull to whom a grant of 1.20 km² of nearby land...
where Mitchell lived between the ages of 5 and 18. Mitchell has said using it in the title of his album "was just something that gave me a cheap thrill ... to name it in a song ("Someone So Much"). Then I took it to the next step of it being the title of the record. It made sense."
The album debuted and peaked at number 22 on the ARIA Albums Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
.
Background
Mitchell has said that the song "Brother, O Brother" was inspired, at least in part, by Australian Prime MinisterPrime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
's apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008. Mitchell has said he would converse with friends over the issue, "After one of those conversations the lyrics of the chorus came to me. It was influenced very much by what was going on with Sorry Day. As I wrote more, it took on a broader scope. It's about what's happening all over the world. The issue of reconciliation is rooted in poverty and disadvantage. It's a sad reflection on humanity."
Mitchell toured the album with a backing band that includes The Sleepy Jackson
The Sleepy Jackson
The Sleepy Jackson are an Australian alternative rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia. The band's name was inspired by a former drummer who was narcoleptic. The band revolves around the distinctive vocal style of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Luke Steele...
's drummer Malcolm Clark, and Hugh Jennings who was formerly in End of Fashion
End of Fashion
End of Fashion are an Australian power pop band from Perth, Western Australia. The band consists of singer and guitarist Justin Burford, guitarist Rodney Aravena, bassist Simon Fasolo, and drummer Mike Hobbs. The group gained mainstream attention with their 2005 single "O Yeah", which reached...
.
Singles
The first single from the album, "Someone So Much", was released digitally as a multi-track single, including, "Power of Speech", on 21 February 2009 and as a physical single on 21 March 2009. The video for the song, directed by Reuben Field and produced by Dean Bates of Starchild Productions, was filmed in KiamaKiama, New South Wales
-Transport:The town is served by Kiama Station on the South Coast Line. It is served by road in the form of the Princes Highway and the Kiama Bypass.-Attractions:...
, Kangaroo Valley
Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales
Kangaroo Valley is a valley along the Kangaroo River in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia, located west of the seaside in the City of Shoalhaven...
and Sydney. It features Mitchell together with an assortment of animated cut out animals.
The second single, "Pasha Bulker", is inspired by the 2007 grounding of the bulk carrier
Bulk carrier
A bulk carrier, bulk freighter, or bulker is a merchant ship specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo, such as grains, coal, ore, and cement in its cargo holds. Since the first specialized bulk carrier was built in 1852, economic forces have fueled the development of these ships,...
, MV Pasha Bulker
MV Pasha Bulker
The MV Pasha Bulker is a Panamax bulk carrier of operated by the Lauritzen Bulkers Shipping company and owned by Japanese Disponent Owners. While waiting in the open ocean outside the harbour to load coal the Pasha Bulker ran aground during a major storm on 8 June 2007 on Nobbys Beach in...
, on Nobbys Beach in Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
but is fuelled by Mitchell’s feelings of being lost at sea during a bout of depression in 2007. The video for the song was released on 22 March 2009, and was directed and produced by Johnny Lopez and Richard Ellis of Candela Films. The single was released digitally on 22 May 2009. The song was used by the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
for promotional adverts for the 2009 season of Sea Patrol
Sea Patrol (season 3)
The third season of the Australian drama Sea Patrol premiered as Sea Patrol: Red Gold on the Nine Network on 18 May 2009. Principal location filming will, as in past seasons, be completed in and around the area of Mission Beach, Queensland. It has an announced budget of A$17 million...
.
The third single released was "Hand Me Downs" on 28 August 2009. The song is Mitchell's account of life as a working-class musician – his wife's a teacher, they rent, they buy second-hand clothes.
Reception
Triple JTriple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
noted a heavier sound in their review, saying the third album has "more of a driving rock feel than his previous efforts". Mitchell himself said of the album; "This is my rock album. I’m saying goodbye to the suburbs."
Track listing
- "Someone So Much" — 3:34
- "Pasha Bulker" — 3:15
- "Hand Me Downs" — 3:32
- "Your Love" — 3:21
- "Wintersong" — 4:15
- "We're a Mess" — 3:06
- "Nuthin's Gonna Tear Me Away From You" — 3:15
- "Power of Speech" — 3:47
- "Brother, O Brother" — 4:01
- "It's a Beginning" — 3:22
- "Everything Goes" — 2:43
Goodnight, Bull Creek! Mornin' Richmond!
A special edition two disc release by EMI, with the second bonus disc containing live tracks recorded at the Corner Hotel in RichmondRichmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
, a suburb in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
- "Someone So Much" — 3:42
- "Hand Me Downs" — 3:29
- "Friend" — 3:20
- "Rocks in My Head" — 4:16
- "Flame" — 3:21
- "Nowhere Without You" — 4:46
- "Sadness & Whiskey" / "Dock of the Bay" (Otis ReddingOtis ReddingOtis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
cover) — 5:15 - "Pasha Bulker (Where Did I Go Wrong?)" — 6:42
- "Brother"
Musicians
- Kevin Mitchell — guitar (electric & acoustic), vocals, harmonica, piano, moogMoog synthesizerMoog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
, claps - Ken CoomerKen CoomerKen Coomer was the last drummer for the band Uncle Tupelo as well as the drummer for Chicago based-band Wilco until Yankee Hotel Foxtrot...
— drums, percussion - Will KimbroughWill KimbroughWill Kimbrough born in Mobile, Alabama in 1964 is an American Singer-Songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer currently based in Nashville, Tennessee.-Biography:...
— guitar (acoustic & electric), dobro guitar - Brad JonesBrad Jones (musician)Brad Jones is a Power pop music producer, and singer/songwriter. He has produced music for Cotton Mather, Matthew Sweet, Imperial Drag, Jill Sobule, and Marshall Crenshaw-Gilt-Flake:Label: Ginger Records Release: June 6, 2000Tracks:*The Blunderbuss...
— bass, guitar (electric & acoustic), piano, keyboard, hammond organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
, claps, vibes - Chris CarmichaelChris Carmichael (musician)Chris Carmichael is a musician and arranger born in San Antonio, Texas on July 6, 1962. The son of an Air Force fighter pilot, Chris moved extensively before taking up the violin while living in Hampton, Virginia...
— violin, cello - Jim Hoke — fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
- Melissa Mathers — vocals, vibes
- Hans Rotenberry — thereminThereminThe theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
Credits
- Engineer, Mix Engineer & Producer — Brad Jones
- Assistant Engineer — Jesse Newport; Aaron Sollman
- Photos — Andrew Christie
- Illustrations — Kareena Zerefos