Daniel Johns – FutureNever
(BMG Rights Management (Australia) Pty Ltd.)
Reviewed by Bridget Herlihy.
‘FutureNever’ is the second solo album from the somewhat infamous Daniel Johns.The follow up to 2015’s ‘Talk’, an LP predominantly defined by Johns taking a significant leap away from rock, and pursuing sound characterised by heavy beats and an abundance of synths. ‘Talk’ was worlds away from his time as the frontman of Silverchair, a band that have a history of being adored and derided in equal measure.
The thematic focus of the album is a meshing together of the past, present and future, with a dystopian undercurrent evident in the accompanying artwork. A deeper listen to the album suggests that ‘FutureNever’ is very much autobiographical, which is perhaps most obvious in the track ‘FreakNever’, which borrows lines directly from Silverchair pseudo-anthem ‘Freak’.
In a similar vein to its predecessor, ‘FutureNever’ is also a deeply personal and introspective album, one where Johns’ vulnerability is almost palpable. Interestingly he opted not to release any singles in the lead-up to the release of the album, instead intending for the tracks to be experienced together as opposed to being removed from the context of the album as a whole. While a good idea in theory, there are a couple of paradoxes at play on ‘FutureNever’. In contrast to Johns’ willingness to wear his heart on his sleeve, he exhibits a greater level of confidence in terms of his song writing and the breadth of his musicality than was evident on ‘Talk’. However, the extent of his musical explorations – jumping between rock, pop, R&B, soul, electronica and orchestral compositions – leans more towards the album being consistently inconsistent. There is no doubt that Johns is indeed very talented, yet it is a challenge not to feel that ‘FutureNever’ is essentially a collection of standalone singles that ended up being packaged together, as opposed to a complete and fully realised body of work with some semblance of consistency.
There are some standout moments on the album, including the orchestral pieces ‘Reclaim Your Heart’ and ‘Those Thieving Birds, Pt.3’, and the melancholy and somewhat edgier ‘Where Do We Go?’. Unlike ‘Talk’, ‘FutureNever’ features a number of collaborations, including the likes of Peking Duk, Van Dyke Parks, Moxie Raia and purplegirl, and while adding additional elements of interest, ultimately contribute to the album’s lack of a clear direction.
‘FutureNever’ is without a doubt an ambitious album that delivers an array of genre defying tracks, and perhaps an eclectic musical odyssey is exactly what Johns was hoping to achieve. This may very well be an ideal album for those who desire a listening experience that offers a bit of everything.
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