Tasmanian singer-songwriter Bully Hay, an artist that fully embraces Australian rock with swooning acoustic adornment, has dropped his debut album, ‘Black Dogs and Songbirds’ - a collection of fire and ice songwriter rock, charming and reflective, and given life thanks to production courtesy of the legendary Jeff Martin of The Tea Party.

Rich, lush and vast in tone, ‘Black Dogs and Songbirds’ is timeless songwriter rock n roll from Bully Hay; gargantuan in tone (thanks to the magic production touch from Jeff Martin), particularly in the more stadium moments like the absolutely driving and dirty ‘Such Confidence’, yet is able to show plenty of vulnerability in more raw, folk-ish tracks like the title track, and ‘Cinnamon Perfume Cabernet’. The Tea Party influence really pokes through with the mystical, middle-eastern vibes of ‘Arrest The Youth’. Bully Hay has crafted something raw and resonant in ‘Black Dogs and Songbirds’—a powerful, heartfelt album that’s full of depth and intensity, blending rock with purpose without a hint of bravado.

Each song on the album channels their own unique sonic flavours, utilising sounds from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, blended with folk and country flourishes, and some classic Australian rock undercurrents. Bully Hay (aka Jonathon Coleman), isn’t afraid to let the influences shine through, from Paul Kelly and Bruce Springsteen, to Crowded House and Eddie Vedder, as well as Soundgarden and of course, The Tea Party.

Along with Bully Hay and Jeff Martin’s incredible fingerprints across the entire album, ‘Black Dogs And Songbirds’ also brought onboard Paul Pilsneniks (Silverchair, Dope Lemon, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard) on engineering, and Grammy Award-nominated Joe Carra (The Teskey Brothers) on mastering duties, as well as sonic inspiration spanning Soundgarden riffs, Rage Against the Machine basslines, Jeff Buckley, Paul Kelly, Powderfinger, Crowded House, The War On Drugs and, fittingly, Jeff Martin’s own band The Tea Party. Opening with buoyant empowerment via ‘Wash Off The World’, Bully Hay bursts into vivid view with heartrending melodics, acoustic flourishes and a glistening sonic reflection of the ocean itself in all of its cleansing and naturally wild beauty. From here, Bully Hay flits between wistful twangs (‘Breathing Out’ and ‘I Can Be Your Lover’), pensive, stripped-back ruminations (‘Black Dogs And Songbirds’), swooning country hues (‘Bushfire Moon’), an indie love ballad that melts and charms with measured simplicity (‘The World Is On Fire But You Look So Great’), potent storytelling set against swelling textures (‘Cinnamon Perfume Cabernet’), as well as injections of Aussie rock, both upbeat (‘Flinders Street Station’). And whether diving headfirst into woozy and heavier territory (‘Arrest The Youth’ and ‘Such Confidence’) or buffeting across the album’s gossamer closing track ('I Know What You’re Saying Love’), Bully Hay not only showcases his dexterous abilities across a sea of different genre elements; he also effortlessly captures the entire gamut of the human existence in 11 powerful tracks.

“All of the song themes are taken from real life inspiration and reflection,” shares Bully Hay of Black Dogs And Songbirds. “Musically, I’m definitely a product of my listening habits and these vary so much from classical and folk music to grunge and metal, rock and acoustic singer songwriters. So perhaps this is why the songs vary a lot in style and are tricky to pinpoint. It’s a very self-reflective album. Most of the songs are about change and dealing with those changes in different ways. That could be rejecting change, embracing change or just noticing that something is happening whether you like it or not. Being true to yourself and recognising your own flaws and unpacking them. The songs differ quite a lot in style and feel. So, the album itself takes the listener on quite a journey. One of the songs on the album (Cinnamon Perfume Cabernet) has a lyric in there: “You cannot have the light without a little bit of darkness” and this very much sums up the experience of listening to this album. There are plenty of moments of light and shade and a little in between. Sums up the highs and lows of life in general.”

A sixth-generation Tassie boy currently based in Southern Tasmania, Bully Hay’s upbringing saw him utterly immersed in music, with his musical family helping to ignite his lifelong passion at an early age. Ultimately sparking his desire to become a musician by his father, who introduced Bully Hay to some chords on the guitar at the tender age of 14, the rest well and truly was history, with the self-taught Coleman going on to learn music by ear, and performed in bands and as a solo artist for the years to follow. Settling on the moniker Bully Hay for his solo endeavours, the name was inspired by Coleman’s uncle who was one of “The Rats of Tobruk” in World War II.

 And with a national tour with his full band also on the cards following the release of ‘Black Dogs And Songbirds', the best for Bully Hay seems only yet to come.

‘Black Dogs and Songbirds’ - a compelling, rocking, and at times, emotional listen, is out now on all streaming platforms.