Don McGlashan | Marvellous Year

Don McGlashan
Marvellous Year
Arch Hill

The first time I ever saw Don McGlashan play live was at a formal arts dinner and he played only one song. It didn’t matter, I was completely blown away. The same thing happened when I listened to his second solo album Marvellous Year.

From the melancholic beginnings of ‘The Switch’ through to the organ driven power of Bathe in the River, Marvellous Year if nothing else proves Don McGlashan’s remarkable ability to capture and carry a melody. This was what he was known for during his years with the Muttonbirds, but Marvellous Year shows an artist continuing to develop in his songwriting abilities.

Of course a stellar band helps The Don out here (Chris O’Connor, Maree Thom, John Segovia and Dominic Blaazer) and according to him they allowed the album to unfurl quite naturally and quickly, resulting in a collaborative effort.

My personal favourite is the song Bad Blood with the wry lyrics ‘he was a snappy dresser, as far as I could tell,’ but this whole album is a gem, reflecting a talented and iconic New Zealand songwriter having a lot of fun with his band of talented musicians. Good stuff.