Optimism by Elizabeth Morris

The last time I was home in Australia I tried my hand at writing songs on my great-great-great grandmother's piano. It came to Australia from Germany as a wedding gift in the 1850s. It still sounds beautiful.

These piano songs didn't feel like Allo Darlin' songs. Perhaps the reason why will be evident to you upon listening. They were written during a turbulent time, and have been floating around in my head ever since.

A conversation with my friend Darren Hayman made me think that perhaps I should record these piano songs on his ship's piano. I wanted to get them recorded before I left London permanently. Darren also drew some pictures of me while he was recording. We think this is the first time a recording engineer has drawn the artwork for an album whilst recording it. He's that good.

I wrote the song Shoe Box very recently. It is a funny little song but I think it hangs nicely with the others. I think that's all I need to say about that one.

Sweetheart will be familiar to Wave Pictures fans. Allo Darlin' have spent much of the last 18 months touring with the Wave Pictures, and this is one of my favourite songs of my friend David's.

This is not meant to mean anything other than I had these songs, and I didn't know what to do with them. But I wanted them to be heard at some point.

Thanks for listening and I hope that you like it.