Allister Thompson - No Reason to Cry (Songs by Grant McLennan) (2020)

This album contains 11 new arrangements of songs written or co-written by the late Australian singer-songwriter Grant McLennan (1958-2006). They cover all periods of his career, from his time with the Go-Betweens, partnered with Robert Forster, to his solo career, to his Jack Frost project with The Church's Steve Kilbey.

One day I decided to record a cover version of a song by McLennan, since he is a huge influence on me and has been since around 1990. Since our voices are not dissimilar, it came easily to me, and things just snowballed from there into an album. I have never enjoyed a recording experience more than putting my own spin on these classic songs by a great talent.

McLennan made the profound seem very normal, laying bare the joys and sorrows of the human condition in such a matter-of-fact way that sometimes you don’t even appreciate the impact one of his songs has on you right away. Only after repeat listening do you realize how much truth lies therein.