Jay and Mark O’Shea sound more in sync than ever on their fifth album. Based in Nashville since 2007, the married Australian duo continue to combine Jay’s soul-inspired singing and Mark’s deep country roots with refreshing modern touches. Observe the programmed beats on “Say Nothin’” and the pitch-shifted punctuation on the opening title track. The latter doubles as a party-starting mission statement for the album, with Jay referencing Aretha Franklin as well as hits by Charley Pride and Bonnie Raitt while shouting out encouragement to listeners as if performing live to a full-capacity venue. The bright touch of producer Lindsey Jackson (Jessica Mauboy, Busby Marou) is matched at every turn by the O’Sheas, whether Mark is depicting romantic regret on “Smoking on a Plane” or Jay is channeling Broadway musicals with the unadorned ballad “Watch Me Quit.” Meanwhile, “Bridezilla (It Only Gets Better)” boasts a piano hook every bit as playful as its winking marital themes. A romantic couple for more than 25 years—and co-hosts of the long-running TV show O’Shea USA—the O’Sheas are only growing in collective confidence.
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