Eschewing the idea that the breakup album always has to be a tortured affair, Brisbane vocalist/guitarist Pete Murray's fourth album, Blue Sky Blue, recorded after the split with his wife of three years, is a surprisingly buoyant and harmonious effort that opts for reason rather than regret or revenge. Seemingly alluding to his marriage troubles...

Eschewing the idea that the breakup album always has to be a tortured affair, Brisbane vocalist/guitarist Pete Murray's fourth album, Blue Sky Blue, recorded after the split with his wife of three years, is a surprisingly buoyant and harmonious effort that opts for reason rather than regret or revenge. Seemingly alluding to his marriage troubles, the driving country-rock of "Free" ("Tell me, when do you want to be free"), the plaintive acoustic ballad "Let You Go," and the Kings of Leon-esque indie rock of "H.O.L.L.A.N.D." (which stands for "Hope Our Love Lasts and Never Dies") show that Murray isn't afraid to bare his soul. But backed by a punchy production from Tom Rothrock (Badly Drawn Boy, Foo Fighters), Murray appears to have used his personal experiences as a catalyst for a more energetic and confident sound, as evident on the twanging blues guitars, propulsive grooves, and triumphant brass sections of the Steve Miller-esque lead single "Always a Winner"; the Hammond organ-driven acoustic pop of "Broken," whose urgent beats match the life-changing themes of its lyrics; and the melodic blues-rock of "Hurricane Coming." It's a positive and resurgent approach, which in addition to the recent three-year hiatus that he took to raise his two sons, is sure to leave many of his admirers swooning. And while there are still a few slices of inoffensively bland AOR to make up the numbers ("Tattoo Stained," "Led"), Murray's husky John Mayer-esque tones ensure it never quite drifts into drippy James Blunt-ish territory. A refreshing take on the whole breakup album concept, Blue Sky Blue is a unexpectedly optimistic record that should further Murray's reputation as one of Australia's most charming singer/songwriters. ~ Jon O'Brien, Rovi