★★★½
Tunnel At The End Of The Light opens with the sounds of an uneasy night in the outback, as a lonesome whistle takes centre stage, rolling through the hills. It instantly takes you back to an old Western, one in which Tex Perkins is more than happy to play the cowboy.
The Dark Horses have been the primary vehicle for Perkins over the past five years. The man who usually changes projects like underwear has remained surprisingly faithful, reuniting the band for a trilogy of albums, and so we have arrived at the finale.
Perkins is undoubtedly the star here. ‘They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?’ sees him carrying a sense of desperation and melancholy, paired with a female harmony and a steel-string guitar to become a standout track.
Things are a little darker this time around; the songs have a bit more of an edge to them. There are still those elements of blues, country and adult contemporary that make up The Dark Horses’ sound, but with just a touch more grit.
While there isn’t much to separate this from the last two Dark Horses album, Perkins and co. have rustled up another bunch of well-crafted songs.
Tunnel At The End Of The Light by Tex Perkins And The Dark Horses is available through Dark Horse/Inertia.
