''Into the Bloodstream'' is the sixth

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Aus ...

singer-songwriter A singer-songwriter is a musician who writes, composes, and performs their own musical material, including lyrics and melodies. In the United States, the category is built on the folk- acoustic tradition with a guitar, although this role has ...

Archie Roach Archibald William Roach (8 January 1956 – 30 July 2022) was an Australian (Gunditjmara and Western Bundjalung people, Bundjalung) singer-songwriter and Aboriginal Australian, Aboriginal activist. Often referred to as "Uncle Archie", Roach wa ...

. The album was released on 19 October 2012 and peaked at number 49 on the

ARIA Charts The ARIA Charts are the main Australian record chart, music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA beca ...

in December 2012. The album deals with Roach losing his life partner

Ruby Hunter Ruby Charlotte Margaret Hunter (31 October 195517 February 2010), also known as Aunty Ruby, was an Aboriginal Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist, and the life and musical partner of Archie Roach. Early life Ruby Hunter was born on 31 ...

in February 2010, and his own health issues including having a stroke, being diagnosed with cancer and having half a lung removed. In the liner notes, Roach says the album is "built on pain." Roach says "Pain can also bring about change in one's life for the better, we can choose to ignore the Pain until it becomes unbearable or we can do something. I used to think that letting go of the pain was the only way of getting better but that may not be necessarily so. You see some events in my life I will never ever truly get over and the pain will always be there, but I can do something about it." Upon release Roach added "The songs I think are uplifting, about getting on with life. Music has played a big part in getting better. It's a little different from what people have been used to from me but the songs have been really well-received." At the

ARIA Music Awards of 2013 The 27th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) were a series of award ceremonies which included the 2013 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fin ...

, the album was nominated for Best Blues and Roots Album. At the Deadly Awards 2013, the album won Album Release of the Year.

Reception

''Into the Bloodstream'' was met with critical acclaim and was described as "an inspirational comeback" by Mess & Noise, "a triumphant return" by ABC online and "amongst his best work" by The AU Review. Michael Dwyer from

Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper in ...

described the album as having songs "from bereavement and illness to reaffirmation of belonging and creativity." Deadly Magazine said "Each track on the album is a mix of expressing pain, and standing strong." and "As always, Archie's lyrics take us to where he wants us to go – to the voice of his people, the land and the spirit and the ever-present struggle of Indigenous people in this country." adding "A major theme of the album is the support that Archie offers to anyone experiencing pain and loss."

Reception

Track listing

Charts

Release history

References