The next pick in the National Reconciliation Week and Indigenous Artist special is from Thelma Plum, and is her debut release “Better in Blak”. Thelma, who is a Gamilaraay woman, was writing the song “Do You Ever Get So Sad You Can’t Breathe” when she started receiving abusive messages. “Lots of three, four-letter words,” she tells @triple_j. “Things that you would never say to another human being… When you have people sending you messages to kill yourself, calling you an ‘Abo’, ‘stupid bitch’, ‘slut’ – it’s f**king isolating.”
 
After receiving these messages, she felt like she wanted to “curl up into a ball and quit music forever”, but instead wrote the title track for the album, a pop gem that shines like a diamond and is just as indestructible: a moving proclamation of identity from the Gamilaraay songwriter.
 
The album has been described as “Emotional, and unapologetically honest, the Indigenous artist addresses racism, sexism and her broken heart". It as also been described by Al Newstead from @triple_j as “an album of healing, [and] transforming the pain and sadness of a dark few years into a courageous, self-assured debut album.”
 
It’s an absolutely powerful, raw and emotionally honest debut and saw Thelma be nominated for Album of the Year, Best Female Artist, Best Pop Release and Breakthrough Artist at the 2019 @aria_official awards. The final track on the album “Made for You”, was also written with the help of Paul Kelly and Paul McCartney.
 
Now for the beer, and an album with rich layers really needs a brew to match. The Wattle Amber Ale from Spinifex Brewing really sits alongside very nicely. This beer is infused with roasted Western Australian Wattle seed from the Albany region. This beer has a wonderful flavour that is rich, dark with a hint of smoky caramel. There are great slightly sweet, nutty and toasty flavours in this brew; with the roasted Wattle Seed giving it a little something different that is really tasty.
 
Album: Thelma Plum – Better in Blak
Highlight: Better in Blak
Gem: Love and War (featuring David Le’aupepe – Gang of Youths)
Beer Pairing: Spinifex Brewery – Wattle Amber Ale

Image Courtesy of @trooper.beers.tunes

@trooper.beers.tunes

Two guys from Melbourne
° Review Music New, classic or nostalgic
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