CD REVIEWS 2012
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MAMA JUJU

Review by Ian Dearden

This self-titled debut album by the duo Mama Juju (long time Brisbane folk identities Julie Minto (Juju) and Lex Weddell (Sugar Cane Slim) is an absolute blast. Lex has hung up his bass guitar for the duration of this album, and instead demonstrates his immaculate blues/jazz/ragtime guitar chops. Julie slides effortlessly from 1930s blues mama (He May Be Your Man) to the soundtrack singer in a piece of 1950s film noir (Keep It To Yourself), and a 1960s pop chanteuse (Autumn Leaves), before slipping into a fabulous reading of John Martyn’s 1970s slurred folk classic (May You Never). I should just mention that it is one of my all time favourite songs, and they’ve done it good!!

Along the way we get the Western Swing sound of Sweetheart, the (multitracked) Andrews Sisters style harmonies of Undecided (originally sung in the 1950s by the Ames Brothers), the bad girrl growl of Bad Attitude and Big Bad Handsome Man, and then the piece de resistance, a sexy as all getout version of the late lamented Kirsty MacColl’s In These Shoes.

In short, this is a fabulous album, sparsely (but very tastefully) arranged, superbly recorded, and the album concept and artwork is just divine!! It’s got the look of those big round black vinyl objects that we used to call LPs, magically reduced to CD package proportions. Recorded (so it is claimed) “especially by the Filma label on their portable magnetised Bakelite Recordon recorder using the patented super tonal Microgroove electric process”!! Sounds like bulldust to me, but then you can never be sure.

Youcan find out more at www.mamajuju.com.au Check the Folkrag gig guide for performances - they seem to be playing everywhere at the moment. Oh, and go and buy this album - you won’t regret it, and maybe Mama Juju will walk up and down your spine (if you think you can survive!!)

Contact -

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Pages of the Past ~ Alan Mackey

Review by Lindsay Owen

Alan Mackey has just returned from a successful Tamworth promoting his hot off the press CD Pages of the Past. The radio in Tamworth gave the CD good air play, as is the local Toowoomba ABC Country Music show with David Iliffe. Alan was kind enough to ask me if I would do a review of the CD and as Rhys and I were about to head for Stradbroke Island for a few days of R & R of our own, it was perfect timing. So here I am sitting on Stradbroke Island looking out across the ocean to Moreton Island and listening to a great CD.

The first song, Make the Diamantina made me feel like dancing. I work with an ex drover and hearing this song brought to life all the stories she often tells me about the unpredictable cattle, weather and droving in our outback.

Many of the songs on this CD relate to the pioneers, battlers and people of this beautiful land. The dying art of a Blacksmith in Condamine Bells, the sheep shearing season, captured so well in Northwards to the Sheds. Then there is Slim ‘n Stan ‘n Buddy reminding us of the Country singers and storytellers of the past, especially Slim Dusty and the many songs he wrote in Slim Titles.

I guess for me I love Marbles, like so many others who grew up in the sixties and early seventies, we remember conscription. We all knew family or friends whose number would come up in the lotto and before we knew it, they would be on their way to Vietnam. As the song says, they were all our heroes.

Alan chose some of our great musicians for his CD: Ewan MacKenzie (electric & acoustic guitars), Ryk Rostron (harmony, vocals & Mandolin), Helen Rowe (violin, viola & harmony vocals), Andrew Kucks (keyboard), Laurie Keating (drums), Ray Moore (bass guitar) Doug Martin & Dale Robbins (electric guitar, track 14) and Peter Dobe (saxophone). All the songs are Alan’s originals, some with a little help from his friends.

So if you have a Lazy Sunday and want to treat yourself, grab one of Alan’s CD’s Pages of the Past, find a nice quiet peaceful place to relax with a glass of your favourite beverage and enjoy!

Obtain your copy from Alan on 0422467108, or PO Box 3225 Toowoomba QLD 4350. or visit reverbnation.com/alanmackeymusic

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One Good Woman - Baptism

Annie Edwards & Tony Chambers

Review by Lonnie Martin

One Good Woman is a project from Annie Edwards and Tony Chambers comprising original songs about common human experience - falling in love, falling out of love, parenting, working, the search for joy and the struggle to find peace in the midst of chaos. Songs about the marginalised and forgotten - the deprived, the disadvantaged, the demonised and the broken.

This is a lovely recording, simple and unpretentious, with some well crafted, heartfelt songs which would fit into the alt country scene with ease and a measure of grace.

Annie has an appealing fragile voice that I found myself drawn towards, likewise the more I listened the more I liked Tony's vocals. They both sing with great feeling and sympathy and are well supported by some glorious arrangements.

(I especially enjoyed their use of violin and cello on Baby). In my opinion this is a recording well worth a listen, although my major criticism is that I found it quickly became background music rather than my usual sing along.

The recording is available through Paypal online at www.onegoodwoman.com.au

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Sarah Calderwood

As Night Falls

Review by Mark Cryle

Sarah is best known for her work fronting highly-successful Brisbane Celtic outfit Súnas. Fans of that band will fine much to enjoy on this, Sarah’s first solo release. While a release on the ABC Classics label might suggest something of a departure for Sarah stylistically, As Night Falls does in fact stay close to her Celtic roots. Súnas members are still very evident in the cast of supporting musicians.

The album opens with Sean McCarthy’s Step it Out Mary– a somewhat more poignant reading of that song than is typical. The lean stripped- back acoustic backing works perfectly. Other tracks songs such as a Peter Gabriel’s Mercy Street emerge from a richer, not to say lush setting. The cd features duets with two high profile guest vocalists. Mike Scott of The Waterboys delivers half-spoken verses in a rendering of the traditional “girl missing her soldier-boy” song The Blue Cockade. The warm, unmistakeable flavour of a Shane Nicholson vocal helps drive a powerful version of the traditional Demon Lover– probably this reviewer’s favourite on the disc.

There is much to enjoy here– fine songs delivered with precise musicianship and powerful, rich, emotive vocals. What is there not to like? As Night Falls is a high quality release, beautifully packaged (yes it matters!) and produced to the very highest standard. Any criticism is minor. Sarah’s fiery flute and whistle playing might have been more in evidence. I would have welcomed the inclusion of some of her own songwriting too which, as evidenced on the 2008 Sunas album, A Breath Away From Shadow is of undoubted quality– at the expense perhaps of standards like Wild Mountain Thyme with its highly-orchestrated setting. Perhaps we’ll just have to wait for the next Sunas release to hear some more of Sarah songs and playing. Till then we have this one to relish.

Visit shop.abc.net.au/products/as-night-falls or

www.facebook.com/SarahCalderwoodMusic

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