John Farnham Age Of Reason

Following up on what remains the highest-selling album in Australia by a local artist is no small feat. 1986’s Whispering Jack, led by timeless anthem “You’re the Voice”, immortalised John Farnham just as it made 1988’s Age of Reason a distinctly mortal prospect. Commercially, even raging success could only be modest by comparison. Critically? That’s a different story—and a happy one for Farnham. Farnham’s 13th studio album is popularly considered one of his most accomplished. A battalion of big guns behind the scenes made sure of it. The call to global awareness that is the opening title track and lead single was written by wife-and-husband team Johanna Pigott and latter-day Dragon vocalist Todd Hunter. They’re the first of many key players throughout Age of Reason’s 12 tracks, its supporting cast extending beyond the backroom and into memorable performances. Legendary trumpeter James Morrison electrifies the already sizzling “Some Do, Some Don’t”. Noiseworks vocalist Jon Stevens lends his pipes to the sky-high hubris of “Listen to the Wind”. Peter Gabriel was likely very busy, so the spirit of “Red Rain” is raised to uplifting effect on “Don’t Tell Me It Can’t Be Done”. Two curious covers—one of Cold Chisel’s “When the War Is Over”, the other of AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’n’ Roll)”—see the album out. Initially, their off-brand rollicking made little sense—but would prove to be prophetic when Farnham took majority control of his work’s creative direction from 1990’s Chain Reaction onwards.