Bernie Hayes Homebody by: Dan Grimsey Tue:28-Aug-07 Label: Half A Cow Year: 2007 WB rating 38 out of 100

Bernie Hayes is a singer/song writer from Sydney, who has been around, hanging out in the background of the Sydney live music scene. You may remember him from such bit parts as the bass player of Club Hoy – part of the short lived Aussie twee-folk/pop scene of the early ‘90s, Sydney’s answer to Melbourne’s Frente and Things of Stone and Wood. However, he’s probably best known for playing with The Whitlam’s, the highlight of this association being the Hayes-penned ‘You Make Me Hard’ made successful on their Love This City release.

Another interesting Hayes fact, he’s also reputed to be the singer of Kevin Rudd’s campaign theme song, and there’s something strangely appropriate about that. The political statement akin to the slightly dangerous – or is that slightly sleazy? – proto-political, piano-rock of the Whitlams. But, unfortunately, Homebody neglects this tact, it is nice and safe – just like  Rudd, barring his visits to the strip clubs .

It’s not surprising therefore that this album is full of sentimentality and obligatory cheesy lyrics, such as “I’ve got more needles than a porcupine,” “as sure as the leaves will fall from the tree/I know that one day/you’ll come looking for me” or, my personal favourite, “if a man gets too much glass in his body/he becomes an invisible man.”  Quite often, Hayes slips into a little Elvis Costello impersonation, and whilst he gets the vocal mannerisms close, there’s clearly still work to be done on the word play.   

Homebody sounds like the recording of a guy who’s quite happy being part of the furniture of the Sydney live music scene. Happy with his current Wednesday night residence at some pub in Sydney, where, if the lyrics to ‘You’re The Best Thing’ are anything to judge by (“I can’t hear myself over the talkers/ they like to sit right at my shoulder”) he is shoved into a corner, given a stool, and told not to sing too loud or he’ll disturb the couples eating. 

Given Hayes’ apparent contentment with this situation, Homebody is one of the most appropriate album titles of recent times, someone who is happy with where he is, or at least, not motivated enough to leave. Maybe he doesn’t want to compete anymore, who knows?  Either way he shouldn’t worry.  The chances of an album as plain and unglamorous as Homebody finding a following outside of his Wednesday night regulars is about the same as that of a Frente revival.