Bernard Fanning has released two reimagined tracks today from his Tea & Sympathy 20th anniversary edition, featuring covers by The Paper Kites and Jem & Troy Cassar-Daley.
The Paper Kites have transformed Fanning’s “Believe” with their cinematic folk approach, bringing what the Powderfinger frontman describes as a “Jayhawksy” quality to the original. The Melbourne band’s frontman Sam Bentley revealed the track was a childhood favourite, with the band honouring the source material while crafting their distinctive interpretation.
“Bernie is an Australian icon. We’re sincere fans of his, and we were honoured to take part in celebrating 20 years of Tea & Sympathy,” The Paper Kites stated. “We had so much fun with this song and hope it adds to the legacy of such an adored and celebrated Australian artist.”
Fanning praised their approach, noting how “The Paper Kites have brought their typical quiet dignity to this song. I love how they’ve taken it into a ‘Jayhawksy’ space and added more warmth and depth to the sound of the original.”
The second release features Queensland artists Troy Cassar-Daley and his daughter Jem tackling “Songbird” with a stripped-back, piano-driven arrangement. Their version adopts a slower tempo while emphasising the lyrical content through Jem’s distinctive vocal delivery.
“I was a young girl when Tea & Sympathy was released and I can say it went platinum in the Cassar-Daley house alone,” Jem said. “Bernard’s songwriting shines on another level in this record, and ‘Songbird’ is, put simply, a perfect song.”
Troy highlighted the track’s construction, describing it as “an absolute masterpiece” due to its hooks and structure. Fanning reciprocated the praise, calling Jem “one of the most beautiful and soulful voices in her generation of Australian singers.”
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The anniversary edition celebrates Tea & Sympathy‘s remarkable commercial and critical success from its original 2005 release. The album debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart that year, securing three ARIA Awards including Album of the Year, while also earning Fanning APRA’s Songwriter of the Year award in 2006.
Key tracks from the original release included “Wish You Well”, which topped triple j’s Hottest 100 in 2005, alongside “Songbird”, “Watch Over Me”, and “Thrill is Gone”. The album established Fanning’s credentials as a solo artist following his towering success with Powderfinger.
The bonus album contains ten tracks, including acoustic versions of album highlights and collaborations with Kasey Chambers and Clare Bowditch on “Watch Over Me”.
Both new covers are available for streaming today, with the complete 20th anniversary Tea & Sympathy edition scheduled for release through Dew Process / Universal Music Australia on October 31st (pre-save/pre-order here).
