Keith Glass in Rhythms magazine August 2000
The Dead Livers - Reaching to the Western Sky (Independent)
Laconic country rock from the band that may be Dead? but refuses to die. Our very own "possum" Marty Atchison actually showed up for these new sessions produced down in Warrnambool, just up the road from the lead singer's new digs in Portland. The Western District is an ongoing connection for these former inner city stalwarts, with bass player Mick Schack also hanging his hat in nearby Yarpturk and writing the Livers' classic "Star of the West" (revived here in remastered form). The rest are new recordings with the balance of the band commuting to the country for a set of old favourites ("Rosemary") and new offerings (Schack's "Standing room only" and Atchison's possibly auto-biographical "Old man on a barstool"). With a patented "don't give a shit" attitude and some just right sloppy swagger from guitarists Rodger Delfos and John Berto, plus steel guitarist Brendan Mitchell and drummer Richard O'Keefe, the Livers remain identifiable and very Australian in their quest for honky tonk heaven.
Bob Howe - Capital News - Sept. 2000
Pre-eminent Australian outlaw band, The Dead Livers, returned to the studio after 18 years, and the result is the excellent Reaching for [sic] the Western sky album. Lead singer Marty Atchinson [sic] still captures the voice of the common man in his lyrics
and delivery in a way that few others have, with the notable exception of Paul Kelly. The CD cover manages to contain a lot of photos, but there are many more to be found at the Dead Livers web site
Catherine McAloon. Warrnambool Standard 27th July 2000 - Click here