Reviews

THE BLACK SORROWS
4 DAYS IN SING SING
HEAD

“I love and embrace my past,” says Joe Camilleri, “but I know and believe that The Black Sorrows will never be a heritage act because for us there’s no finish line. The heart and soul of The Sorrows still beats loud and clear.”

In keeping with Camilleri’s penchant for continually moving forward the version of The Black Sorrows that appears here is unlike the line-ups that appeared on some of the classic Sorrows albums such as Hold On To Me, Dear Children and Harley & Rose. In some ways it is interchangeable with Bakelite Radio, the common point of reference being Camilleri himself.

Even the set list bears more of a resemblance to later projects than the ‘classic’ Sorrows recordings: ‘The Best Thing,’ ‘What Levi Wants,’ ‘Lonesome Road,’’ ‘Lay By My Side,’ ‘Where’s It All Gonna End?’ are from ‘Roarin’ Town’ (2006). ‘‘Midnight Rain,’ ‘Comfort Me,’ ‘Little Murders,’ ‘Lean On Me,’ ‘Such A Night,’ ‘Viva La Money,’ ‘Every Natural Thing,’ ‘The Raven’ and ‘Sumo’ are all Bakelite Radio songs. Only ‘Don’t Judge Me Too Hard’ and ‘Better Times’ are pulled from the pre-2000 Black Sorrows catalogue.

Only the name of the band has been changed - to protect the innocent? Or maybe it is because the Black Sorrows moniker still has such resonance with the general public and is an easier sell. In the end, the Black Sorrows is whatever line-up Camilleri chooses at the time. In this case, it includes Claude Caranza on guitar, Joe Creighton on bass and backing vocals, James Black on keyboards and on drums. It is a formidable combination in its own right.

So Four Days In Sing Sing is a document of a live performance but also of a line-up at a particular point in time. Recorded over four days in Melbourne’s legendary Sing Sing Studios (as the title states). These are the same studios, decorated here for the shoot with aboriginal artworks courtesy of Aranda Gallery, that saw the creation of some of the most popular Black Sorrows recordings provide. It is an appropriate and comfortable setting.

The documentary was filmed by Director Remo Camerota with Mark Bakaitis, whose plan was to get the band to record seventeen songs in no more than three takes each. The result is what appears to be a spontaneous and fresh performance with the sound that only a proper recording studio can provide. Also included is interview footage of the band, behind the scenes footage, diary notes on the process by Camilleri and, the bonus that I like the most, a CD of all 17 tracks.