ROUNDBELLY
& FRIENDS
The Many Mood Swings Of Roundbelly
& Friends—
Roundbelly Music Australia.
Tracks: You Better Want Me; The Big
House; Bronc Rider; Going Home; Big Bad Pappa;
Reality; God’s In My Soul; Nobody Wants Me;
Oh Baby Goodbye; Aw Heck; Why I’m Not
Handsome; So Many Years. Running time: 36:55.
With Australia being the other end
of the earth to the UK not a great deal of
information about their music scene comes to our
notice, so any albums are like newsletters. This
month the mail contained two albums from Roundbelly
& Friends, an eight-piece band
new to me.
This album is a collection of songs
covering the musical styles of country,
contemporary blues, bluegrass, gospel, and
comedy. Certainly many mood swings as the title
advertises. All the material is original, written
by Roundbelly or his friends who are shown as the
musicians in the credits. I have no information
to their status, full time band, professional
musicians that get together to record, or
musicians with day jobs. Whatever it is, their
music will hold your full attention and the
chance of catching a live performance is worth
ringing the date on your calendar.
Should they ever reach our shores
the music on this album would go down well in our
big city music venues. If they played London I
would suggest the Earls Court area (a Mecca for
Australians living over here, unless things have
changed since I left) to remind fellow
Australians of home. You only have to cast your
eyes over the instruments shown against the eight
musicians to know all the mood swings can be
accomplished, then when you play the CD it is
confirmed. Of the eight, Steve Rosen on banjo,
mandolin, lead guitar, harmony vocals,
co-songwriter, artwork and cover design is shown
as from Chicago, USA. So I assume the other seven
are from Australia.
The album sleeve contains
information about every track. One track “Why
I’m Not Handsome”, a humorous up-tempo
lament, caught my attention because it brought to
mind a certain solo artist I will not name but
when I see him I will suggest he use it as his
signature song. One thing is for sure, Roundbelly
& Friends will never be short of work while
there are people that enjoy a good night out and
the opportunity to sing-along.
Standout cuts: “You Better Want
Me” (country/bluegrass); “Going Home
(truck driving song); “Big Bad Pappa”
(country/blues); “Oh Baby Goodbye”
(country. waltz).
Country Wishes—Roundbelly
Music Australia.
Tracks: Aussie Country Girl; You’ll
Want My Lovin’; Daddy I Love You; The
Heartache; Goin’ Home; The Wishing Waltz;
Used-To-Be; Just ‘Cause I’m Lonely; If
It Ain’t Got Swing; In The Doghouse Again;
My Song Is A Prayer; I Fell In Love Once More;
Reprise: The Wishing Waltz (Extended Play).
Running time: 45:59
This is the second and latest album
from Australians Roundbelly & Friends and is
basically a white label version of the final
product. On their other album reviewed this month
the material is original. Checking the names of
the songwriters on this album, seven songs are by
Roundbelly and two by James Langan, one by Bob
Tait—all members of the band on the other
release. On this latest Leah Grice has a song
also Darren Davidson, so has there been some
changes in the line up, there is also a very good
bass baritone singer present.
Their first offered the listener a
sample of the band’s musical capabilities.
Now they have gone for a full country music album
and it is a good one. I had not heard any of the
songs before, the band do not try to sound
American, and they prove country music is not a
closed shop product of the USA. No matter what
your country music taste, this album will have
songs to meet with your approval. The hardest job
I had was selecting the cuts, because any 1 to 12
would fit.
Suggested cuts: “My Song Is A
Prayer”—a very commercial gospel
number; “You’ll Want My Lovin’“—country/do-wop;
“If It Ain’t Got Swing”—line
dance; “In The Doghouse Again”—straight
country.
By IAN McQUEEN
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