Currently on a massive 42-date tour of Europe (taking in Germany, Sweden, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania and Denmark), Adelaide folk-rock singer-songwriter Kaurna Cronin recently released his newest album, 'Harsh Beauty'.
A globally-recognised performer who was awarded Artist Of The Year at last year's Australian Folk Music Awards, 'Harsh Beauty' finds Cronin exploring how humanity interacts with its surrounding environment and how that forms and shapes our beliefs and ideals."'Harsh Beauty' is a reflection on how our environment shapes our cultures, lives and personalities; as we leave our mark on the world, so, too, do the landscapes we traverse cast themselves upon us," shares Kaurna.
"As a worn boot imprints itself on desert sands, the wise sand too shall tether itself to the leather, revealing there is no distinction between us and the world around us – that we do not live in this world, we are the world.
"Touring to many different countries and cultures I am fascinated about how human characteristics and personality traits can be seen in parallel to the physical landscapes of which they are surrounded by.
"As if we are adapting our social and political environments and aligning our language, visual aesthetics and behaviour to mimic our physical surrounds.
"'Harsh Beauty' incorporates some worldly narratives: 'One Day Away From You', 'I Write Love Songs' to assist in widening the lens and observing a broader perspective of what is feels like to identify with a culture/ place while also being physically disconnected from it.
"It also discusses more national issues for example 'Why Do You Love Lizzie?', which questions our ongoing need for ties with the monarchy, why this connection is relevant in a modern era – and is this the kind of symbolism we should be celebrating in Australia.
"'Harsh Beauty' covers a lot of ground with many discussions and more personal observations on how we broadly perceive ourselves and the lands we live – and how this land influences our beliefs and ideals.
"Do the vast horizons we are afforded, permit us to demand more space and freedoms? Does the quiet of our great expanses aid conversation or intimidate?
"Why are we so drawn to our cleansing oceans, and what does that reveal about us? What impact does our continental separation have on our ability to connect?
"'Harsh Beauty' was the culmination of two years on home soil after ten years of traversing the globe; exploring the parallels between person and place has been intriguing – observing this in such a multicultural and diverse landscape has been inspiring."
Here, Kaurna shares a bit of background about each of the 11 songs that feature on 'Harsh Beauty'.
Our Way
'Our Way' reflects on vulnerabilities in relationships and also the premise of compromise and understanding. I am curious about how fragility is perceived and understood in different cultures.In Australia, with so much space, we often revel in the beauty of broader perspectives and vastness. I find when you have space, naturally you create distance from your subject – and when you view something from a distance, you are rarely exposed to its fragilities and flaws.
In this video I wanted to showcase the beauty and expose the cracks in which we're accustomed to avoid.
Unknown
'Unknown' is a discussion on our wars of the past and our current climate war – and what parallels exist between them. It highlights our admiration for bravery and courage in the face of fear and destruction – yet our flaws in recognising when we cannot observe the enemy, or we are the enemy.This song was inspired by Paul Keating's Remembrance Day speech for the Unknown Soldier and how these values can be reflected towards our climate wars.
Sideways
'Sideways' speaks to the feeling of being utterly out of control. It speaks to the sadness and confusion that having no control can create, but simultaneously how much fun it can be. It was originally titled 'Sadways' and the backing vocals are still singing 'sadways'.Never Said
'Never Said' is an observation on the struggle artists face living in a capitalist society where corporations benefit greatly from creatives and the arts, but where artistic freedom is often sidelined for profit.It generally speaks of the intersection where capitalism meets art and how artists are heavily affected by this crossroad.
Keep Me By The Rock
'Keep Me By The Rock' was written while I was driving back from Darwin to Adelaide and we went out to join the ceremonies for the closing of the Uluru climb in 2019.I have always been surprised with how few Australians have travelled substantially through Australia, and how we have this rich history throughout the land, yet we still are still propelled towards the cleansing waters of our coasts.
One Day Away From You
'One Day Away From You' is a song about longing – and the simple little things you miss when you are far from your home, loved ones or community.Distance has a strange way of distorting your views and feelings – time can create nostalgic feelings from the most insignificant moments, and distance can distort your sense of belonging and connection, romanticising both place and person.
I Write Love Songs
'I Write Love Songs' is a love song about the need to express oneself even when no one is there to listen. It is a song about the need to continually remove yourself from the old stagnant places and relationships you have in order to grow and the grief that this necessary separation and loss causes.Why Do You Love Lizzie?
'Why Do You Love Lizzie?' questions our ongoing need for ties with the monarchy, why this connection is relevant in a modern era and what symbolic flag are we parading by continuing to celebrate this kind of history.'Releasing your grip on the bygone doesn't ever mean never looking back.'
If The First Time Was The Last Time
'If The First Time Was The Last Time' is about not learning from mistakes, the monotony and cyclical nature of our lives and the habits we form which define who we are and that are so hard to shake.As It Comes, As It Goes
'As It Comes, As It Goes' considers how our minds are biologically more likely to focus on the cracks and flaws in our lives and society; and the importance of different perspectives to observe what priveliges we are afforded. It's a song about letting go of our grand expectations and taking the good with the bad.With media and algorithms feeding us more negatively-geared content in society, it's easy to get swallowed up, so it's just a song to remind us that there is a disproportionate amount of the bad being shared, than the good which is ever present around us.
