This is the second studio album from this lovable Melbourne troupe, and it’s an incredibly infectious, knee-slapping blend of country, rock, roots and folk. Party On the Farm sounds exactly as the name suggests. The male/female dynamic is fun and they synchronise well for the short and sweet chorus. Big Things Calling incorporates a simple banjo twang to tell a soft country yarn, and is beautifully backed by a sweeping violin.
Produced with an old Casio keyboard, the album’s first single Where You Been has that southern country crackle that makes you want to get down and dirty. Mother of My Mother is straight from a Coen Brothers’ film. It starts slow before breaking into a neat little ditty, backed by percussion, keys and a banjo.
The Great Unknown feels a little lacklustre after the fast-paced momentum built early on but Bitchin’ Betty Lou picks up the pace again with a fun little rockabilly, bass-filled number. Watch ‘Em Run is playful but doesn’t carry the same spark and while Something In The Valley returns to the smooth country sound, it fails to pack the emotional punch of track #2, Big Things Calling.
Luckily, all is restored with the final two tracks. Why’d You Do That For is a fun, big-band brouhaha, with trickling piano and a fantastic brass section. It’s like something you’d hear in a packed New Orleans jazz bar. Carper Catinach is a strong one-man show influenced by Dixieland jazz, which will leave you sitting with a big smile on your face.
BY CHRIS BRIGHT
Best Track: Where You Been
If You Like These, You’ll Love This: C.W. STONEKING, KITTY, DAISY & LEWIS, EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROES
In A Word: Infecticious
