Home Grown Roots Vol 1 – Various Artists

Various – Home Grown Roots Vol 1
Home Grown Roots is a Blues n Roots compliation in recognition of the emergence of this genre as one of the leading new music movements. This first volume features Canadians Hawksley Wrokman and Joel Plaskett, Tecoma and Angus and Julia Stone.
Featuring: Ben Marshall, Angus & Julia Stone, Back to Sea, Karl Broadie, Hawksley Workman, Nick Everitt, Tecoma, Itu and Van Sereno, Ester Toll, Lisel Karlsson, Tim Walker, Patrick Carr, Van Sereno, Doug Sandrini, Jesse Morris and the Project, Joel Plaskett, Klia Zuka, Shannon Reynolds, Vanessa Hoffman, Luke Koteras

CD REVIEW
By Ian Dearden

Well I confess.
When I looked at this compilation of Australian Blues and Roots music released by independent label Foghorn records, the only names I recognised were Angus and Julia Stone and Hawksley Workman (who hails from Canada, but has recently appeared at the Woodford Folk Festival).

However, the philosophy behind the series (it’s already up to Volume three) is to showcase new and emerging artists who are performing live, have got themselves on My Space and/or have a web presence, are writing original material and (if chosen) are able to be recorded at the label’s affiliated recording studios.

On the evidence in this first volume, Foghorn should be given loud accolades for their contribution to quality music in Australia.
You won’t necessarily be hearing this music on mainstream radio (although Angus and Julia Stone are evidence that it can be done), but here are quality artists champing at the bit, deserving to be heard by a wider audience and this compilation series is one pathway to that wider recognition.

Congratulations Foghorn, this is a terrific effort on your part and on the evidence here, we are likely to be hearing more from all of these artists (too numerous to name in this review, but go to www.foghornrecords.com and check them out).
You may want to join the queue of performers wanting to be part of this ongoing project.
If so, the details are on the Foghorn website.

Or you may just want to revel in the talent emerging from all over, so get yourself a copy of this CD immediately as well as the next 2 volumes!