I think what makes Dom Brinkley’s project ‘Live at the Workers Club work so well to an unfamiliar listener is the sheer intimacy with which the entire experience seems to be crafted by. From the opening ‘let’s do it’ followed by a delicate acoustic performance, I was already ready to see what he had to offer. Feeling the vibes and energy of a John Butler-esque performance, I readily let the entire track play out while letting myself get to whatever else needed to be accomplished at the time. I could feel each improvisation being played out before me, each minutia of experimentation, each little detail that Brinkley seemed to be piecing together into this intricately woven tapestry that was the ‘Dance of the Ancient Forest’.
Of course, as I later checked the description for the tune, it came as a pleasant surprise to my own aural recognition that Brinkley characterised the opening track’s open tuned style as ‘John Butler’ esque. As a big fan of the American-Australian guitar legend, I found great pleasure in letting the entirety of Brinkley’s record take over. The fast paced riff that hits its stride on Moonlight Dream accompanied by a hauntingly soothing vocal performance is a definitive moment of note. But there’s also a wholly distinct rock driven style that Brinkley brings to life on later pieces like ‘Stumblin’ Home’ and even progressive blues elements o ‘Catfish Blues’. The record’s closer, ‘Cut Down the Tall Tree’ puts the entire set list in perspective with a fun and rambunctious vocal dominant piece that stands in contrast to most of the record but finds its niche nonetheless.
A lovely set list that’s deeply intimate, introspective, and intricate all at once.