Music Review: Tami Neilson, Dynamite (+video)

Tami Nielson's Dynamite lives up to its name.

The title track, aside from being one of the stand-out songs on Tami Neilson's new album, could just as easily be applied to the lady herself.

Canadian-born Neilson has embraced life and music in New Zealand, and a fast-growing local and worldwide audience is cottoning on to her music and the vitality it generates.

Neilson's approach to music is almost always high octane, with an infectious delivery, made even more appealing by her own lyrics.

Take a listen of Tami Neilson's "Walk (Back to Your Arms)" Official Music Video

The kick-off track Walk Back Into Your Arms is a stunner, more rockabilly than country, just brilliant. Texas could have been a country classic decades ago; I reckon it will become just that in the future. Neilson's lyrics are direct and heartfelt, a simple but clever song.

It's hard to leave out mentions of any of the tracks on Dynamite, so get ready to check out You Lie, Woo Hoo, Honey Girl, Whiskey and Kisses and, of course, the title track.

Up-and-coming Lyttelton artist Marlon Williams duets with Neilson on Woo Hoo, and Running to You finds Delaney Davidson and Neilson taking a Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood approach reminiscent of their song Summer Wine.

Even if country or rockabilly aren't normally your genres of choice I strongly recommend you take a listen anyway, because Dynamite has cross-over appeal written all over it.