Walkabout $1.50

About Walkabout

It has been two years since Start, Benjamin Faust’s debut of inventive, quirky, prerecorded sound product. Now he’s back with his sophomore effort, Walkabout – an introspective album about wandering the limits of your world, whether it is the physical, mental, or spiritual.

This isn’t to say that Faust has lost his edge on this album, which he insists, “Isn’t just for Australians.” Indeed, this new collection of songs is a welcome second helping of quirky lo-fi piano pop that defies cookie-cutter convention in a world that has cut back on dough.

Building on the piano-based foundation of his debut, Faust stretches out musically, adding more sounds to his carefully crafted musicscape, with a wide range of subjects that is sure to have something for everyone.

If you’re nosey and social networks and reality programming aren’t enough for you, the driving Good Fences offers some great pointers on how you can broaden your horizons.

If you’ve put your stock into Judeo-Christian ethics, Nebuchadnezzar offers a take on Biblical prophecy. For purists, it also influenced the new album’s cover art.

For the person with chronic wanderlust (perhaps brought on by a need to hide from the tax man), River Packet is about the joys of living on a boat. The song is a nod to the Robert Louis Stevenson poem “The Vagabond”.

If you’re into the sciences, the medieval-flavored Stars, How Do You Feel About Being Small? evokes a sense of wonder while musically capturing the immenseness of our universe.

Those who like their music old school will appreciate Peggy, a tale of teenage pregnancy that takes 50’s rock and roll and turns it inside out.

A reach into Faust’s musical vault gives us Ghost, a song recorded before the “Start” sessions that renders an emotional look at love and loss, guaranteed to salve the hopeless romantic or aspiring Goth in all of us.

If you believe in learning history to avoid repeating it, Chernobyl Hash recounts the final days of the Soviet Union, when a visionary President and a leaky power plant teamed up to change history.

Tempted to give in to the dark side and explore the forbidden? Something Bad may or may not help you with your decision.

On the other hand, those wishing to put their baser nature behind them may be looking for a frolic, full of alliteration and assonance? Treetops fills the bill and leaves listeners feeling free and fine.

Finally, Greens and other nature lovers can rejoice in Mad Honey, a musical confection sweetened with mountain laurels, rhododendrons, and an extra special surprise.

With Walkabout, Faust has created an album that builds on the strength of his 2007 debut – and then takes it to the next level. He may be wandering the world of musical textures and lyrical subject matter, but each of the ten tracks on Walkabout hit close to home.

Benjamin Faust – vocals, keyboards, recorder

with
Abigail Faust – featured vocal, Chernobyl Hash
Connie Faust – featured vocal, Mad Honey
Cover Concept and Photography - Joe Clifford Faust