Dan Parsons - Valleywood (2015)

On his third solo album Melbournian Dan Parsons immerses himself deep in US west coast-styled country folk music. There’s a light touch to his music that at first gives it a breezy, occasionally easy-listening sound but behind the sunny and drifting pop melodies there are tales of troubled souls trying to find their way. The best Americana music has a strong element of melancholy and Parsons conveys that with maturity on lines such as “Don’t confuse this pain for another man’s bliss”. Above all it’s the rich tapestry of freewheeling melodies that will win over listeners on Valleywood.---Chris Familton