Penny Davies & Roger Ilott – Just a Bit of Quartz

CD Review by Dieter Bajzek.

A very folky mix of songs from Penny Davies & Roger Ilott, including two new songs from BILL SCOTT (with music by Roger Ilott); the comedic fishing tale Plastic Container Of Plonk, a song for World Peace, The Light Of The Star and the wonderful sailor’s song, The Long Haul. There are also two songs from South Australian poet MAX FATCHEN (also with music by Roger); a pointed, yet light-hearted dig at what is happening to our rivers with Don’t Let The Murray Run Dry and a song of the road The Listening Land.

The works of many other Australian songwriters and poets are also featured, including Douglas Stewart, John Broomhall, Arthur Copeland, Keighly Goodchild, and Paul Best.

Penny and Roger have written some new songs too; a short history of a short railway The Injune Railway, a story of love for a faithful companion in My Old Dog And I, a historical romp through the early tin mining days of Queensland with 60 Miles From Cunningham’s Gap, a thoughtful look at the journey of life in Stay On Shore , a painterly image of winter in the Queensland mountains with Frost On The Wattle, a comment on making the most of what you’ve got in the title track Just A Bit Of Quartz, and a song for us all with Sow The Seeds of Love.

Roger has also been busy writing melodies to some Australian poems: A Nautical Yarn, and The Western Mail . We also have classic versions of Douglas Stewart & John Broomhall’s The Net, Paul Bests’s Love Is A Lifeline and the old hit Stardust.

“This is the 15th album of that prolific team from Queensland, aided again by a team of fine musicians. As the cover says, these are a “few songs of hope, history and humour”, trying to make our world just a little better, with half the songs being their own originals – all recorded in their home studio.

A very pleasant and varied range of observations about life, love and nature, and what we can learn from all that, presented with sincerity and obvious musical experience. So sit back and enjoy.”