Like many of her fans, I have so much adoration for Delta Goodrem and her music.
It’s been the soundtrack to so many moments in my life and like many of her fans, it wouldn’t have been the same without it.
So while she’s always taken her time with releases, it’s with great excitement that her latest project has been shared with the world.
On her seventh studio album ‘Bridge Over Troubled Dreams’, Delta brings together her life stories and lessons learned into a heartfelt, honest and organic album.
A combination of sounds, genres and styles could make for a frenetic album, but you can tell how much attention to detail she’s laboured over to get the album just right.
Whether it was being fussy about which piano she’d use while recording or being intentional about opening the album with a single note (a D) and closing with a single note (a G), you feel the confidence and vulnerability across every song.
The winners here are the more uplifting songs (‘Kill Them With Kindness’, ‘Solid Gold’, ‘The Power’) or the big ballads (‘Keep Climbing’, ‘Paralyzed’, ‘Play’) on offer. They all feel so powerful, alive and vibrant. Each song has a critical story to tell.
While lyrically Delta tends to tell her stories in a more abstract way, this album removed that level of protection and is very open, honest and raw. There’s no need for an interpreter to help you get what she’s telling us about.
And though I miss the element of mystery you normally experience, there is something powerful in the way she writes here. Being forthright and honest is fresh and empowering.
She also has never sounded better. Whether her well documented journey to recover her speech post surgery was the driver to the confidence in her voice or whether she’s matured into it, I don’t think it really matters. On every song, you feel each note, phrase and ad lib. She is moving her listeners throughout.
The companion book to the album (also titled ‘Bridge Over Troubled Dreams’) provides a great insight to how she wrote the album and the stories behind each song. That extra layer helps make the album that little bit more special.
It’s rare for an artist to let you in so deeply on each song and is a testament to how transparent she’s being this album. It’s all Delta. And it’s stunning.
I can’t help but wonder what’s next (her tour of course!) but also how much of a catalyst this will be for her to stop chasing radio hits (honestly who does that anymore anyway?) and make the music she wants to make.
We may not always like it (sorry ‘Billionaire’… I know it’s Delta’s favourite song on this album but it isn’t mine!) but I’ve got nothing but respect for her vision and drive.
I hope she sees this record as a way across that bridge over troubled dreams and sees all the possibilities ahead.
Her fans are right there alongside her for the ride.
VERDICT : 5/5.
MUST LISTEN : Keep Climbing, Kill Them With Kindness, Solid Gold.
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