The Undercover Review

Charlton Hill is a rare breed in today's music scene. I thought that once popular animal the singer / songwriter was all but extinct in this country until he came along.

His contemporaries are Alex Lloyd and Ben Lee. He's on track to revisit the path trodden by Neil Finn.

Simply 'Waterline' is a quality piece of work from beginning to end. The content is sourced from the vision of a nomad traveller who has seen the world and reflected about life back home.

'2's Company' is the song you already know. Radio was all over it and it even made it into the TV show 'Charmed' but it sets up the mood of the record. What's great about 'Waterline' is it is 100% consistent.

'Deep' and 'Don't Sail' are the next two designated singles and look to establish the podium for the Hill talents. Water is a recurring theme. 'Deep', 'Raincloud' and even the title of the album allude to a life that started on Sydney's northern beaches and inspired his words.

Hill has the ability to play with a band or just by himself with an acoustic guitar. The real testament to his talent is that the songs still sound great when it is nothing more than him and a guitar. The bookends in sound actually come back to back on the record with the intimate "If I Could' followed up by the big band sound of 'Faithfully Tenderly'.

It's a competent debut and totally honest in sound. In Charlton Hill we have found a talent who will be around for years to come.

By Hector The Rock Dog

Track Listing

1 Turn to You
2 2's Company
3 Don't Sail
4 Deep
5 Crash Landed
6 Raincloud
7 If I Could
8 Faithfully Tenderly
9 Sound of Goodbye
10 The Last Thing

Label

Sony