Australian rock veterans
Cold Chisel may have continued to remain a crowd-drawing, if slightly sporadic, live presence throughout the last decade, but up until now have been strangely reluctant to add to their back catalog of national treasures. However, following the death of their drummer
Steve Prestwich earlier in the year,
Jimmy Barnes and company have regrouped for their first new compositions in over 13 years, ensuring that
All for You is more intriguing than your average cynical cash-in compilation. Indeed, alongside the emotive barroom balladry of the title track and the old-school rockabilly of "HQ454 Monroe," both of which fit comfortably next to the other 18 more familiar favorites, the track list, selected by thousands of visitors on their official website, also highlights the fact that this is very much a fan-friendly affair. Most of the hits are still in attendance, from their 1978 debut single, "Khe Sanh," to the Top Ten singles "Cheap Wine" and "Forever Now" to "When the War Is Over," the soft rock ballad that Australian Idol winner Cosima de Vito later took to the top of the charts, while quite handily, all the five studio albums from their late-'70s/early-'80s heyday are represented. But elsewhere, their loyal fan base has decided to give some of their lesser-known tracks a bit of exposure, as evident by "Yakuza Girls," one of just two cuts from their 1998 comeback album,
The Last Wave of Summer, and "Shipping Steel," a flop single from 1979's
Breakfast at Sweethearts. The Adelaide quintet's tales of excess have often overshadowed their musical output, but
All for You is a labor of love proving that they deserve their legendary status. ~ Jon O'Brien