Mia Dyson
Idyllwild
Reviewed by: Jane Roser
If you’ve been nostalgic for the days when Sheena Easton strutted or Pat Benatar hit you with her best shot, then this tough as nails Aussie singer-songwriter is just the fix you’ve been looking for.
As a follow up to Dyson’s critically acclaimed 2013 album The Moment, “Idyllwild,” produced by Pat Cupples and Erin Sidney was supported by a Pledge Music campaign and the first single “When We’re Older” premiered in March in a partnership with Billboard.
“Any 3 Chords” is my favorite track on here. I love the lyrics: “I only wanna play in the band/I only wanna travel the world/If only I could sing for a crowd/Who love me better than I can/I only wanna be on fire/I only wanna be in tune/If only there was something to hold onto/Any 3 chords will do.”
Dyson’s raspy vocals add texture and mystery to her more rocking songs such as the title track and “When We’re Older,” but don’t seem to work as well on slower ballads such as “Growing Up” and “Made From Clay” where her lyrics can at times get lost in a muddle (is she singing “growing up tangled?”) But once her saucy tune “That Sugar” comes on sounding like an old blues number, then yeah, I’m hooked on that sugar high.
Rating: 
