Description
This is the second album from Bruce Watson. He is a major Australian songwriter and performer in the folk tradition, performing around Australia at festivals, clubs and a range of other venues and events. Bruce is known both as a hilarious humorist, with political parodies a specialty, and as a writer and performer with the power to move audiences to tears. Also available words and music – 101 Songs by Bruce Watson TN523 $25
About the artist: A much loved icon of the Australian folk scene, Bruce’s songs are sometimes hilarious, sometimes confronting, sometimes both, but always entertaining and full of surprises. Eric Bogle, Joe Dolce, and Blackwood sing them and he has received a swag of awards. The Bruce Watson Trio joins Bruce’s talents with the musical genius of Lyndal Chambers and Brian Strating, adding richness and punch.
Bruce Watson – Real World: Songs of Life, Love and Laughter
CD review by Graham Blackley
TN026-81 – $25 Published in Trad&Now 152 November 2022
Award-winning and highly respected Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist, Bruce Watson released the robust and sparkling “Real World: Songs of Life, Love and Laughter” a while back and it is well worth your undivided attention.
From the moment the thought-provoking and arresting “Amazon” leaps from the speakers, it is easy to see why Watson has been a welcome performer at multiple folk festivals and why plenty of other musicians have been keen to embrace his songs.
This album is worth buying just for “Amazon”, as Watson’s sobering environmental message packs a punch whilst riding a surging melodic wave that will inspire you to indulge in repeated listens.
The good news is that “Amazon” is indicative of the high-quality song-writing and performance that typifies the entire album.
The cleverness of Watson’s song-writing comes to the fore on the hilarious and biting “The Pretentious Song” which humorously lampoons those who favour artifice and superficiality over substance and authenticity.
Watson strikes a playful tone in this wonderful slice of satire, a tone that springs to irreverent life again in the fun and quirky “Prince Charles Royal Talking Blues”.
On “Real World” Watson has achieved that rare feat of being able to make us think deeply one moment while brightening our lives with joyful and enlivening humour the next.
