Bek-Jean Stewart
Junior Years
Laughing Outlaw

Some might have picked up on our recommendation of Perry Keyes fine album Meter and heard Bek-Jean's great vocal- and drum work there. Here's the story: Bek-Jean used to play in the band Eva Trout (released 4 albums) and picked up playing the drums as they broke up. She heard Keyes playing alone in a club and suggested that they should put a band together. The rest of that resulted in the band Give My Love To Rose and Meter. But here's more.

Stewart might be one of the hardest working women in the Aussie music scene, playing drums, writing and recording her own album - and it's all worth it. Not one weak song on the album, all well arranged and produced and lyrics that go well with it.

She reminds me of a rougher Maria McKee, a tougher Sheryl Crow or a less countrified Emmylou Harris. Exceptional songs like "Lost On The Winding Road" stand out like a modern classic and true rockers like the opener "Sweet Light" should fill any decent dance-floor. Loose but still steady, rough around the edges but still sweet. A consistent album of songs worthy a long life. May Junior Years only be the beginning of Bek-Jean's solo-career.

Copyright © 2007 Anders Svendsen