The Cruel Sea - The Honeymoon Is Over (1993)

The Honeymoon Is Over by the Australian five-piece band the Cruel Sea blends organic, rootsy instrumentation with clever, well-written lyrics to produce an album that is a joy from start to finish. Produced by the band with Tony Cohen lending a hand, the record hails its entrance with the instrumental "Orleans Stomp," a Cajun-influenced cut complete with bluesy organ and xylophone. Lead singer Tex Perkins finally unleashes his vocals on the title track. His deep, weathered baritone is the perfect delivery for this kiss-off song including the wry lyric, "Gonna send you back from wherever the hell it was you came, then I'm gonna get this tattoo changed to another girl's name." The remainder of the album mixes more loose-groove instrumentals with other standout cuts like "Delivery Man," a bracing slab of double entendre blues-rock and "Let's Lay Down Here & Make Love" with a slight reggae lilt that makes the song playful. It is impossible not to sway your hips to the Cruel Sea's infectious grooves and equally as difficult not to chuckle aloud at the wry lyrical observations of their lyrics. A true delight.