Coloured Vinyl, Limited Edition
Colin Hay became a household name as the frontman for 80s pop sensation Men at Work, and his musical legacy has extended for over 40 years. Man @ Work Volume 2 is the sequel to his 2002 best seller, Man @ Work, and offers fans an impeccable set of favorites from across Hay’s rich catalog, including Men at Work classics, solo album highlights, and new material. The album opens with “Into My Life,” featuring Gregg Bissonette (Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band) and Cecilia Noël. The song originally appeared on Hay’s 1990 debut solo album, Wayfaring Sons, and exploded in Brazil in the 90s as the theme song of a popular soap opera, growing to rival the anthemic “Down Under” as Hay’s most popular song in South America. Hay reaches back to Men At Work’s 1983 release, Cargo, for a new recording of the reggaeinflected “Blue for You,” which segues into a stripped-down version of the infectious “Come Tumblin’ Down” from his 2017 release Fierce Mercy. Other standout tracks on the album include “We the People” featuring rapper Derrick “Solpowa” Rice, which Hay was inspired to write in the midst of the polarizing US presidential election in 2024, and with a haunting performance of “Next Year People” from the 2015 album of the same name. This version of the song features Hay on acoustic guitar and vocals, augmented by a string quartet. As the frontman and principal songwriter for ‘80s Australian hit-makers Men At Work, Hay became one of the most recognizable vocalists in pop music with his soaring vocals, infectious melodies, and quizzical lyrics. Classic songs like “Down Under,” “Overkill,” and “Who Can It Be Now?” unfold like miniature movies, with timeless twists and a bittersweet sense of humor. That wry humor has remained a consistent feature of Hay’s solo albums and projects, from his most recent solo release, Now And The Evermore, to international tours as a member of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. A Hay-penned song (“What’s My Name”) not only made its way onto Starr’s 2019 album, but also became the title track.[info sheet from distr.]