FEATURE ALBUM - The Official Fiction
By Jo Roberts
The Age: EG, August 22 2003

CD review: The Official Fiction Something For Kate (Murmur/Sony) ***

To call this album highly anticipated is an understatement. Melbourne trio Something For Kate achieved remarkable success with their previous album, 2001's Echolalia. It not only cemented the music of singer-songwriter Paul Dempsey, bassist Stephanie Ashworth and drummer Clint Hyndman in the hearts of their many devoted fans, but snared them countless new followers and propelled them giant steps up the ladder. It was always going to be a hard act to follow - and that's just the feeling you get on listening to album four, The Official Fiction. Rather than take a step forward, as they did with Echolalia, they seem to have stuck with the same successful formula and subsequently taken a step sideways. As with Echolalia, the band have worked with engineer-producer Trina Shoemaker (Queens of the Stone Age, Pearl Jam, Sheryl Crow) at the Mangrove Studios of INXS's Gary Beers, as well as doing some recording in Los Angeles, which allowed for LA-based string quartet the Section to contribute to two tracks, including the album's first single, Deja Vu. Guests Grant Lee Phillips, Caitlin Cary (Whiskeytown) and Lisa Germano also contribute backing vocals, although they're generally too awash with production to be distinctive. Dempsey's lyrics are, as ever, as cerebral as they are emotional, as they explore the human condition's inner and external weaknesses in light of an ever-tense world. It is, therefore, lyrically that the album achieves its greatest resonance. Musically, however, The Official Fiction isn't nearly as immediately engaging as Echolalia; the songs on the latter seemed more accessible, more memorable. Notwithstanding, the many fans of SFK will undoubtedly ensure this album repeats its predecessor's sales success, with Echolalia now nearing double platinum. Time may prove The Official Fiction a grower, but I suspect it will be the rub that eventually marks Echolalia as the superior release. -- Jo Roberts