Lachlan Bryan is one of those artists that straddles the worlds of commercial and alt. country, equally comfortable in Tamworth or an inner-city bar. The Mountain finds him exploring a more soulful sound complete with weeping pedal steel, fiddle, piano and shuffling drums. The emotional quota is high and generally hits the mark as Bryan sings of relationships and the pursuit of happiness. It’s not all tears-in-the-whisky-glass though with song like ‘King & I’ and ‘Gin & Tonic’ striking sweet rock ’n’ roll and honky tonk grooves. There’s a consummate range of styles here that will satiate all types of country music fan.

Chris Familton