MJ Halloran and His Sinners

Australian rocker MJ Halloran divides his time between Melbourne and New York, with an assisting posse of Sinners in both cities. Mr. Halloran, I salute you!

His album ‘Me Souffler’ (available in glorious 12” vinyl) is the first Halloran release through French label Beast Records, and if it wasn’t beast enough already, it’s produced by Beast Of Bourbon’s Brian Henry Hooper. But wait! Hooper not only produces but also plays bass on the album, while fellow Bourbon Beast Spencer P. Jones and Powder Monkey’s John Nolan go wild on guitar. And that’s just the Melbourne Sinners. As for the New York Sinners, it’s Gun Club’s Dee Pop on drums, plus Ryan Skeleton Boy on the NY bass… Trust me, the list of sinners does go on…

On the A-side, opener ‘Love At My Expense’ sees Halloran in fierce form – his aggressive voice and sleazy, snarling guitars cynically underline the statement “I loved you once, and once was enough – so now it's just a business proposition.” Meow!
‘Point Of View’ is packed with fury; a punchy punk-beat start and gradual slow-down leave no doubt that the anti-romance/pro-romance theme tears Halloran’s already tormented heart ever more.

Totally brilliant (and my favourite) is ‘Attentional Blink’ – a bluesy swamp-rock hued number about the irony of love. The sly and creeping instrumental arrangement stays in the background, while Halloran’s voice dominates, albeit with almost restrained clarity as opposed to earlier mentioned aggressiveness. A female a cappella-style backing voice adds to the wildly poetic feel of the song.

‘I Wanna Be Loved’ is another great tune and also self-explanatory, while the seething ‘Approached By A Blind Man’ is as Beasts Of Bourbon as it gets, as Nick Cave as it gets, and also as poetic as it gets. Crimes of passion tend to transpose into dark ballad territory rather successfully, and this number is no exception. A man stabs his unfaithful lady in a fit of jealousy and almost immediately he goes blind… then wandering the streets while looking for salvation and an answer to his living hell. Halloran half speaks and half sings while revealing the story, accompanied only by a guitar. A menacing drumbeat kicks in as the tale of the ghastly deed gradually unfolds. Filled with human tragedy and despair, this sure is the antidote to any saccharine-laced lullaby.

On the B-side, and straight at the beginning, Halloran finds himself smitten by a sex kitten. A raw and dynamic rhythm reminiscent of early Stooges and Gun Club provides the base for lyrics spiked with acerbic wit – there’s a nod to John Cooper Clarke in this, too. Things obviously didn’t work out with Miss Sex Kitten, for we’re back again in bad relationship territory with ‘I’m In Trouble’.

‘Monastic Love’ is weirdly wonderful/wonderfully weird (take your pick), with its monotonous, instrumental Far Eastern-style ‘chant’… here is spat out in ripping punk incarnation. A thumping staccato beat invites to anything but mediation…
“I got rhythm going in me”, declares Halloran on final track ‘I’m The Man’ and these are true words indeed. The number has a slight funk rhythm to it while in parts, it sounds almost a bit Doors like (though you might beg to differ).

‘Me Souffler…’ is another great addition to the wicked Beast Records label, and you too can be a sinner by ordering a copy.