Description
CD review by Terry Carlan
The CD is called Alive in the Loungeroom and notation in the cover says ‘Raw Australian electric folk recorded in a Cowra lounge room’.
Last Drinks is a band of seven people, which is a lot of people to have in your loungeroom.
They play all the traditional folky instruments, mandolin, bazoukies, banjo, acoustic guitar and also add bass, drums and some cutting electric guitar.
Most songs are tinged with that beautiful folk feel but the first few push up nicely into rock.
There is also a range of four different vocalists across the 13 tracks, which always interests the ear.
The music starts with a nicely up tempo, bouncy song about a bushranger named John Peisley who decided ‘keeping the road’ was his game.
He was a killer and was hung in 1862.
My feet instantly started tapping to this one.
The second track, ‘Woods Flat Gold’, hits into it with a nice guitar riff and tells us a story of the how the goldfields broke so many out there hoping to crack the riches.
‘Our Factory’ is led in by the guitar and then bass and mando keep the song bopping along nicely.
It’s a good summary of the ‘profits before people’ philosophy and the unfortunate closing down of factories, a problem in so many country towns.
‘Who gives a damn for the workers out there …?’
‘17 again’ is a poignant song about men getting older … ‘remember the glory days’. Yep.
‘Voyage to Crete’ is an unusual bouzouki inspired tune with beautifully haunting background vocals.
‘Paraguay’ is a story I didn’t know of Aussies wanting to start a New Australia in Paraguay.
Amazing! Mary Gilmore was amongst the fold.
The ‘Anthem for workers’ is just beautiful to hear.
‘There’s a cold wind blowing across the sea’.
‘The Unions have showed workers the way for many years.’
Well said, it should be taught in schools.
‘Cold Wind’ is a call for a little more understanding of migrants and refugees, beautifully sung.
Lovely woman’s voice with some sparing, sympathetic harmonies.
All the songs are written by Graham Apthorpe and a good job too.
The CD has the friendliness of the lounge room.
I wonder if Last Drinks did another album and whether they moved into a studio to do it.
It’d be worth hearing too.
