Things I Carry Around

Things I Carry Around

As Troy Cassar-Daley sat writing his 2016 memoir, the accompanying rush of memories inspired this deeply reflective album of the same name. Released in tandem, the book and songs offer an unflinching account of the Sydney-born country singer’s personal life, spanning his early years as a young bandleader and child busker, followed by two decades as an award-winning solo artist. “When My Daddy Played” recalls the formative experience of his Maltese Australian father singing him to sleep with impromptu tunes during their fleeting visits together, while “Country Music’s Coming to Town” steps back inside an excited boy witnessing his first-ever country gig as the throwback arrangements follow suit. Fast-forward to “Smoked With Willie and Merle” and that young country fan suddenly finds himself on tour with country royalty like The Highwaymen and Merle Haggard. Other songs underscore the importance of family for Cassar-Daley, whether it’s his mum, a Bundjalung woman, consoling him after his first romantic heartbreak or the difficulty his father faced on the first night he spent without his son. Cold Chisel’s Don Walker co-wrote five of the songs—including the closing lament “Blue Lights,” poignantly delivered as a poem—while Paul Kelly co-authored “Brighter Day,” which credits the early influence of his late uncle Hoppy. The music here ranges beyond country to encompass banjo-licked bluegrass and roadhouse blues, with Cassar-Daley’s soft, supple singing guiding the way through each new mode or mood. When he strips back to little more than acoustic guitar, lap steel, and light drums for the title track, the delivery feels as golden and timeless as the lyrics are close to his heart.

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