“I’m very hard on my past work. I think everyone is. The old songs I’ve done on this album are the ones I’ve made peace with. Errol and Oh No, Not You Again have stood the test of time for me. Reckless and Downhearted I was asked to do. I can’t really be objective about them anymore.”

Even with two broken arms on his first Countdown appearance 25 years ago, James Reyne has always managed to shoot from the hip. His critical eye, his wry wit and plain-speaking character gave Australian Crawl’s breezy radio hits the bite of realism that truly defined the sunstreaked ‘80s beer barn identity.

But their singer was just learning the ropes. His solo sprint of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s was lined with Top 10 hits and platinum sales: Hammerhead, The Fall Of Rome, Motor’s Too Fast, Heaven On A Stick, One More River, Slave, Stood Up and Any Day Above Ground saw James finding his true measure, both as a great singer and incisive lyricist.

…AND THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON revisits most of the above titles with the emotional authority of a confirmed musical journeyman, with little more than a lone acoustic guitar underpinning the most distinctive voice of his generation.

“I’m really comfortable with the acoustic format these days,” he says. “We do a lot of that and I love it. There’s something about the fact that we’ve been doing this for a long time. We know what we’re doing. We’re good at it. There’s a reason why people like me are still around,” he says with a grin.

Recorded fast with occasional input from Scott, Brett and Tracy Kingman, the 15 outstanding performances include a pair of overlooked gems from James’ critically acclaimed masterpiece of ’99, Design For Living. Stranger Than Fiction and Reno are songs that confirm a talent in constant evolution.

Most of all …AND THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON showcases a voice that resonates way beyond the shallow tides of pop fashion. It’s in the playful jaunt of Mr Froggy Went A Courtin’, the newfound gravity of an almost hymnal Any Day Above Ground, and the masterful interpretation of tunes by peers such as Townes Van Zandt, Paul Kelly and Dan Hicks.

“Whether you’re a carpenter or a doctor or a singer,” James reflects, “you get better at your craft if you’re self-critical, aware and committed. That’s what all of these Liberation Blue records are about: people at the top of their game.” That grin again. “We’re grown-ups now.”