Tea & Sympathy

:"This article is about the album by Bernard Fanning. For the stage play, see Tea and Sympathy."Infobox Album
Name = Tea & Sympathy
Type = studio
Artist = Bernard Fanning


Released = 31 October 2005
Recorded = Real World Studios, Bath, England
May 2005–June 2005
Leafy Bug Studios, Brisbane, Australia
July 2005
Genre = Alternative rock, country-folk
Length = 46:41
Label = Dew Process (AUS)
Lost Highway (US)
Producer = Tchad Blake, Bernard Fanning
Reviews =
*"The Age" rating|3|5 [http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/tea-amp-sympathy/2005/11/03/1130823314010.html link]
*Australian Broadcasting Corporation (positive) [http://www.abc.net.au/tasmania/stories/s1496975.htm link]
*Allmusic rating|3.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:2bklu3ldan4k link]
*BBC rating|3|5 [http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/music/2004/09/get_cape_sebastian_teller_bernard_fanning_shaun_colvin.shtml link]
*musicOMH rating|3|5 [http://www.musicomh.com/albums/bernard-fanning_0906.htm link] Singles
Name = Tea & Sympathy
Type = studio
single 1 = Wish You Well
single 1 date = 2005
single 2 = Songbird
single 2 date = 2005
single 3 = Watch Over Me
single 3 date = 26 June 2006

"Tea & Sympathy" is the debut solo album by Australian musician Bernard Fanning. It was released on 31 October 2005 by Dew Process records while Powderfinger, Fanning's main band, were on hiatus. For the album, Fanning worked outside of his band's traditional alternative rock sound to write songs which blend alternative and country-folk music.

Described as a "breakup album" by "The Oakland Tribune", much of the record was written after the death of one of Fanning's brothers, and after the end of Fanning's twelve-year relationship. The album veers from Powderfinger's politically and socially influenced rock. Fanning recorded four songs at his home studio in Brisbane and the rest at Real World Studios near Bath, England. Both sessions involved the American producer Tchad Blake. To support the album's release Fanning toured Australia twice and performed across North America and the UK.

Critical reception of the album was mild. Fanning's vocals and lyrics were typically well received, however the album was characterised as dull. Despite this the album topped the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) albums chart and won three awards at the 2006 ARIA Awards as well as an APRA Award and a J Award.

Background and production

Powderfinger took a hiatus in 2004 following the release of "". Several members played in the side projects Drag and The Predators. Fanning chose to work independently, and followed a musical direction he had been unable to explore while working with Powderfinger. Part of his inspiration came a desire to discover if he had the ability to create a solo album,cite web|url= http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,17032570-16947,00.html |title=Love and other bruises|publisher=news.com.au|work=The Australian|author=Iain Shedden|date=29 October 2005|accessdate=2008-05-23] especially considering his limited guitar playing abilities compared to bandmates Darren Middleton and Ian Haug. Both the distance from the band and writing process of "Tea & Sympathy" helped Fanning unwind from the stress endured during his 10 year career with Powderfinger. He told Australian newspaper "The Age", "the lyrics of the record are pretty sad overall. I'm probably offering myself sympathy."cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/10/20/1129775894691.html |title=White with one|publisher="The Age"|author=Andrew Murfett|date=22 October 2005|accessdate=2008-05-23]

Fanning wanted to create a politically-oriented album with which he could attack then Prime Minister of Australia John Howard, following Howard's 2004 election victory over Mark Latham. The death of Fanning's brother to cancer, coupled with the end of a twelve-year relationship brought Fanning into the tabloids' spotlight, and saw him steer the album in a different direction.cite web|url=http://www.dbmagazine.com.au/371/iv-BernardFanning.shtml |title=Bernard Fanning. |publisher="dB"|author=Matt Connors |accessdate=2008-10-11] cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20060811/ai_n16655093 |title=Powderfinger's Bernard Fanning enjoying going solo|publisher="Oakland Tribune"|date=11 August 2006|accessdate=2008-05-24] Fanning explained that after going through "a pretty weird time in the past twelve months", he did not intend to talk about his experiences, instead expressing them through music. The motivation for some songs came from the 2005 Big Day Out; disappointment with the antisocial nature of the event and the heavy metal music played spurred him to "make music that was the opposite of that".

Fanning worked with producer Tchad Blake and was funded by record label Dew Process. Sessions for the album began in February 2005 when Fanning and several other musicians recorded tracks at Blake's Brisbane studio. Four of these—"Not Finished Just Yet", "Believe", "Wash Me Clean", and "Hope & Validation"—appeared on the album after being mixed by Blake. The other tracks were recorded and mixed at Real World Studios near Bath, England. In Bath, Fanning worked with musicians including Jerry Marotta, Keith Duffy, and John Bedggood.cite web|url=http://www.amo.org.au/release.asp?id=7506 |title=Tea And Sympathy|publisher=Australian Music Online|accessdate=2008-05-23|author=Bernard Fanning|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070905040326/http://amo.org.au/release.asp?id=7506 |archivedate=2007-09-05] While writing Fanning listened to music of guitarists Lightning Hopkins, Tom Petty, and singer-songwriter Gillian Welch, who all influenced his work. "I'd love to play guitar like that, but I simply don't have the skill to do it", said Fanning of Hopkins' work, noting he had always wanted to make a country blues record.cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/sadness-love-and-the-gospel-truth/2005/10/30/1130607140325.html |title=Sadness, love and the gospel truth|publisher="The Sydney Morning Herald"|date=30 October 2005|author=Christine Sams|accessdate=2008-05-24]

The album's title comes from a saying which Fanning explained to "The Age" as "you offer someone tea and sympathy, you sit down with them, have a cup of tea and you just talk." He noted that there is a credit on an album by The Rolling Stones for the provision of "tea and sympathy".

Touring and promotion

Fanning toured much of Australia to support "Tea & Sympathy", including two major concert tours. He held a number of intimate launch shows before releasing the album. These shows had drawn praise from critics—"Time Off"'s Ben Preece reported, "The chemistry between the Powderfinger frontman and his band (nicknamed The Gap Jazz School Choir) is excellent and their constant in-between song banter is hilarious. Then, of course, there’s the music." He commended the multiple genre changes during the 90-minute performance, as well as Fanning's vocal showcase.

The Which Way Home? tour, named after the album's sixth track, was announced on 2 December 2005. It went through February and March 2006; Fanning performed in Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart, Perth, and Brisbane. He was joined on tour by Perth band The Panics and Brisbane singer Andrew Morris.cite web|url=http://www.dew-process.com/artists-newsfull.cfm?id=3&artist=1 |title=Bernard Fanning announces Which Way Home? Tour|publisher=Dew Process|date=2 December 2005|accessdate=2008-06-06] On 11 August, Fanning announced that tours across the United States and Canada would follow the album's 8 August release in North America. An 11 September UK release was also announced with Dew Process revealing that numerous London shows had already been sold out.cite web|url=http://www.dew-process.com/artists-newsfull.cfm?id=46&artist=1 |title=Bernard Fanning Announces Yesterday's Gone Tour|publisher=Dew Process|date=11 August 2006|accessdate=2008-06-06]

Performances in London attracted much expatriate support; Fanning joked, "I think I have about 14 English fans". The performances were received positively; musicOMH's Barnaby Smith rated his 4 September showing at London's Arts Theatre four stars, commenting on Powderfinger-esque "loud, anthemic, guitar-driven rock in a '70s vein", and praising Fanning's utilisation of the piano and guitar as part of his performance. As part of his show, Fanning dedicated the song "Give It All Up" to the recently deceased Steve Irwin.cite web|url=http://www.musicomh.com/music/gigs/bernard-fanning_0906.htm |title=Bernard Fanning|publisher=musicOMH|author=Barnaby Smith|date=4 September 2006|accessdate=2008-06-06]

Album and single releases

"Tea & Sympathy" was released by Dew Process in Australia on 31 October 2005, in North America on 11 August 2006, and in the United Kingdom on 18 September 2006. The album peaked at number one on Australia's ARIA Albums Chart and number 11 on New Zealand's RIANZ Albums Chart.cite web|url=http://www.australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Bernard+Fanning&titel=Tea+%26+Sympathy&cat=a |title=Bernard Fanning - Tea & Sympathy|publisher=australian-charts.com |accessdate=2008-05-24] The Australian Record Industry Association has since certified "Tea & Sympathy" platinum five times over for sales in excess of 350,000 units.cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/ARIACharts-Accreditations-2006Albums.htm |title=ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2006 Albums|publisher=Australian Record Industry Association|accessdate=2008-05-29]

"Wish You Well" was the first single released from the album. Although it did not chart in Australia, it peaked at number 24 in New Zealand, [cite web|url=http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Bernard+Fanning&titel=Wish+You+Well&cat=s |title=Bernard Fanning - Wish You Well|publisher=charts.org.nz|accessdate=2008-05-31] and topped the Triple J Hottest 100, 2005.cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/history/2005.htm |title=Hottest 100 ! History ! 2005|publisher=abc.net.au|work=Triple J|accessdate=2008-06-27] The inspiration for the song came to Fanning when he woke one morning, "and 'Wish You Well' just arrived in a splurge. There were swallows flying around. I was in an unusually positive frame of mind."cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/gig-reviews/bernard-fanning/2006/10/12/1160246251381.html |title=Solo success doesn't make Bernard Fanning a loner.|publisher="The Sydney Morning Herald"|author=Barry Divola|date=12 October 2006|accessdate=2008-05-31] musicOMH's Barnaby Smith described "Wish You Well" as reminiscent of Daryl Braithwaite and a "basic song with [a] catchy chorus you might sing round a campfire".cite web|url=http://www.musicomh.com/singles/bernard-fanning_0906.htm |title=Bernard Fanning - Wish You Well (Lost Highway)|publisher=musicOMH.com|author=Barnaby Smith|accessdate=2008-06-06] The online release "Songbird" was the album's second single. The song was broadly popular, and contributed to Fanning's winning "Songwriter of the Year" at the 2006 APRA Awards. [cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,19371554-5001026,00.html |title=Songwriter Fanning is year's best|publisher=news.com.au|work=The Daily Telegraph|author=Kathy McCabe|date=6 June 2006|accessdate=2008-06-01] "Songbird" won "Most Performed Blues and Roots Work" at the 2007 ceremony and was nominated for "Most Performed Australian Work". [cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21857902-1702,00.html |title=APRA winners announced|publisher=news.com.au|work=The Australian|date=5 June 2007|accessdate=2008-06-01] [cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21700352-29277,00.html?from=public_rss |title=APRA music nominations announced|publisher=news.com.au|author=Michael Gadd|date=9 May 2007|accessdate=2008-06-01] The single did not appear on the ARIA Singles Chart, but peaked at number 11 on the Australian national airplay charts. It also reached number 14 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2005.

"Watch Over Me" was released as the final single on 24 June 2006.cite web|url=http://www.ravemagazine.com.au/content/view/323/ |title=Bernard Fanning Youngcare concert sold out!|publisher="Rave Magazine"|accessdate=2008-06-02] All proceeds from the single were passed on to Australian charity Youngcare. Fanning also toured with Kasey Chambers, again giving proceeds to the charity. Fanning said that "the aim of this show and the single release is to raise money for Youngcare but also to raise awareness of the terrible situation that these young people face", referring to children forced to live in aged facilities.cite web|url=http://maxtv.com.au/Max/Article.aspx?id=68 |title=Bernard Fanning's new single and Brissy concert|publisher="Max"|date=5 May 2006|accessdate=2008-06-02] "Watch Over Me" spent eight weeks on the ARIA Singles Chart, where it peaked at number 16. [cite web|url=http://www.australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?key=251268&cat=s |title=Bernard Fanning - Watch Over Me|publisher=australian-charts.com|accessdate=2008-06-02] The song was performed by Fanning, Chambers, and Clare Bowditch at the 2006 ARIA Awards. [cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,23663,20667181-5008322,00.html |title=Rock rules the Arias|publisher=news.com.au|author=Justine Parker|date=30 October 2006|accessdate=2008-06-02]

Music and lyrics

Opening track "Thrill is Gone" was written by Fanning as a joke about a hypothetical ending in his relation with rock music. The song is reminiscent of 70s country/folk Led Zeppelin,cite web|url=http://harpmagazine.com/reviews/cd_reviews/detail.cfm?article_id=4664 |title=Bernard Fanning, Tea & Sympathy|publisher="Harp"|author=Brian Baker|date=September 2006|accessdate=2008-06-30] setting the mood for the rest of the album.cite web|url=http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/article.asp?xid=983 |title=Bernard Fanning stirs up "Tea & Sympathy"|publisher="Country Standard Time"|author=Brian Baker|date=October 2006|accessdate=2008-06-30] Numerous songs on the album are influenced by Neil and Tim Finn; "Believe", "Sleeping Rough", "The Strangest Thing", and "Wish You Well" all have comparisons drawn to the brothers. "Not Finished Just Yet" and "Songbird", meanwhile, are reminiscent of Neil Young—a long-term Powderfinger influence. Much of the album was emotional, as opposed to Powderfinger's habitually critical music; "Wish You Well", "Not Finished Just Yet", and "Yesterday's Gone" were noted as examples of "Fanning frankly prodding and probing matters of the heart" by "dB".

On "Wash Me Clean", Fanning aimed to imitate Nick Drake; songs that "you to sleep because they've got so much air and space in them". This came as a contrast to the louder, more vocal Powderfinger work he was accustomed to. "Watch Over Me", released and promoted in support of Australian charity Youngcare, was one of the slowest and most emotional songs on the album—"The Age"'s Daniel Ziffer described it as "emotionally wrenching". It was written alongside "Believe" following the 2005 Big Day Out. [cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/the-power-of-one-in-fanning-farewell/2006/11/03/1162340051028.html |title=The power of one in Fanning farewell|publisher="The Age"|author=Daniel Ziffer|date=4 November 2006|accessdate=2008-06-30] Sometimes construed as a relationships-based song, "Watch Over Me" was written by Fanning after watching Pope John Paul II's funeral. "Down To The River" was equally slow in portions, mixed in with sections of "searing, heart-rending pleading"—praised as the best song Fanning had written by musicOMH's Barnaby Smith.

Reception

"Tea & Sympathy" was awarded "Best Cover Art" and "Album Of The Year" at the 2006 ARIA Music Awards, having also been nominated for "Best Blues & Roots Album" and "Highest Selling Album". "Wish You Well" won "Best Video", while "Watch Over Me" was nominated for "Single Of The Year".cite web|url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-artist.php?letter=B&artist=Bernard%20Fanning |title=Artist: Bernard Fanning|publisher=ARIA Music Awards|accessdate=2008-05-25] "Wish You Well" topped the Triple J Hottest 100, 2005, and was the most broadcast song on Australian radio in 2006. [cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/and-the-most-played-song-is-/2007/01/08/1168104915488.html |title=And the most played song is ...|publisher="The Sydney Morning Herald"|date=8 January 2007|accessdate=2008-05-31] Fanning won "Best Male Artist" for his work on the album, and as part of his acceptance speech challenged fellow Australian musicians to write protest songs—something they had been criticised for a lack of by ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Rob Hirst. [cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/veronicas-get-aria-gong/2006/10/29/1162056867302.html?from=rss |title=Trio gets top gong, Fanning gets Sympathy vote|publisher="The Age"|author=Patrick Donovan|date=30 October 2006|accessdate=2008-06-05] "Tea & Sympathy" was nominated for the inaugural J Award in 2005,cite web|url=http://www.bernardfanning.com/news.cfm |title=Bernard Fanning news|publisher=BernardFanning.com|date=18 November 2005|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5Y4br760j |archivedate=2008-05-25 |accessdate=2008-06-01] [cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/jaward/tea_and_sympathy.htm |title=Nominated albums: Tea and Sympathy / Bernard Fanning|publisher=abc.net.au|work=Triple J|accessdate=2008-06-27] and Fanning won "Songwriter of the Year" at the 2006 APRA Awards. [cite web|url=http://www.apra.com.au/awards/music/winners2006.asp |title=2006 Winners|publisher=APRA Awards|accessdate=2008-05-25] MTV Australia named "Tea & Sympathy" "Album of the Year" at its 2006 Video Music Awards. [cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/04/13/1615274.htm |title=Fanning takes out MTV's top award|publisher=abc.net.au|date=13 April 2006|accessdate=2008-06-05]

"Tea & Sympathy"'s critical reception was moderate. It was generally seen as being less entertaining than Fanning's Powderfinger work—"The Age" said Powderfinger were a "rock band ingrained in the national psyche" like Cold Chisel, but that "Tea & Sympathy" showed little resemblance to Cold Chisel frontman Jimmy Barnes's groundbreaking debut album, "Bodyswerve".cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/tea-amp-sympathy/2005/11/03/1130823314010.html |title=Tea & Sympathy|publisher="The Age"|author=Craig Mathieson|date=4 November 2005|accessdate=2008-05-23] Barnaby Smith of musicOMH said the album was not "a work to suggest [Fanning's] solo career might better Powderfinger".cite web|url=http://www.musicomh.com/albums/bernard-fanning_0906.htm |title=Bernard Fanning - Tea and Sympathy|publisher=musicOMH|author=Barnaby Smith|accessdate=2008-05-22] The BBC's Jenna Bachelor wrote that the album is "pleasant enough without pulling up any trees".cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/music/2004/09/get_cape_sebastian_teller_bernard_fanning_shaun_colvin.shtml |title=Bernard Fanning - Tea and Sympathy|publisher=BBC|author=Jenna Bachelor|date=September 2006|accessdate=2008-05-20]

Despite Fanning's claims he could not write a country song,cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/tasmania/stories/s1496975.htm |title=Disc of the week: Tea & Sympathy|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|author=Tim Cox|date=3 November 2005|accessdate=2008-05-22] the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and BBC drew comparisons to Neil Young and supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The ABC said "Tea & Sympathy" resembled the band's work, "though without the hippy, drippy lyrics", while the BBC observed a "harmony porch style sound" highly similar to that of Young. Allmusic wrote that "Fanning's influences are strictly old school", noting Manassas' self titled album and Elton John's "Tumbleweed Connection" as similar.cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:2bklu3ldan4k |title=Tea & Sympathy > Overview|publisher=Allmusic|author=Andy Whitman|accessdate=2008-05-19]

Fanning's vocals drew praise; Allmusic's Andy Whitman said he was a "fine, soulful singer" whose "vocal presence alone merits attention". Other aspects of the album, though, were seen in a more negative light. musicOMH said songs like "Wash Me Clean" "simply lack a strong enough melody", while the BBC wrote that Fanning "might have to be happy with 'straight in at 101,' in the UK" despite topping the ARIA Albums Chart. "The Age" concluded its review by calling "Tea & Sympathy" "a low-key but worthy personal offering".

Track listing

#"Thrill Is Gone" – 3:11
#"Wish You Well" – 2:31
#"Not Finished Just Yet" – 3:17
#"Songbird" – 2:36
#"Believe" – 3:07
#"Which Way Home?" – 3:21
#"Wash Me Clean" – 2:37
#"Hope & Validation" – 3:09
#"Sleeping Rough" – 4:34
#"The Strangest Thing" – 3:14
#"Further Down The Road" – 4:41
#"Down To The River" – 4:13
#"Yesterday's Gone" – 2:34
#"Watch Over Me" – 3:31
#"Weekend of Mystery" (iTunes bonus release) – 3:36

Personnel

UK sessions

"Tracks 1, 2, 4, 6 and 9–14."
*Bernard Fanning – guitars and vocals
*Jerry Marotta – drums and percussion
*Keith Duffy – bass guitar
*John Bedggood – guitars, keyboards and backing vocals
*Tchad Blake – lap steel guitar
*Ben Quinn – backing vocals
*Stu Miller – backing vocals

Australian sessions

"Tracks 3, 5, 7 and 8."
*Bernard Fanning – guitars and vocals
*Duane Billing – drums and percussion
*Matt Engelbrecht – bass guitar and lead guitar
*Chris Bosley – bass guitar

Production

*Bernard Fanning – producer
*Tchad Blake – producer, engineer and mixer
(Real World Studios, Box, UK)
*Claire Lewis – assistant engineer
(Real World Studios, Box, UK)
*Mark McElligott – engineer and mixer
(Leafy Bug Studios, Brisbane, Australia)

Notes

succession box
before = "Intensive Care" by Robbie Williams
title = Australian ARIA Albums Chart number-one album
years = 7 November 2005–13 November 2005
after = "Ancora" by Il Divo