The Dingo’s Breakfast – A Good Look ‘Round

CD Review by Chris Spencer

I would hope that most readers would be familiar with the music of Dingo’s Breakfast, who have graced many a folk stage around the country.

Led by Roger Montgomery and his sidekick, John Angliss, the band have gathered the odd, occasional musician to assist them perform their mixture of poetry and bush music.

On this recording, Montgomery and Angliss are joined by Toby Montgomery (guitar, mandolin & vocals) and David Ralph (fiddle & vocals).

Meredith Higgins, Helen Muoio and John Reed assist on background vocals.

Readers should note that this is the band’s first CD, released in 2000.

As well as reciting poetry and performing well known Australian bush songs, the band host “Audio Dramas”, consisting of songs and stories, around a theme.

I enjoy the humour of Roger Montgomery, which can be quite acerbic at times.

As he states in the liner notes,‘…grab a beer, send the kids to bed, sit back and join the Dingo’s Breakfast.’

The album has 19 tracks, with a smattering of traditional tunes, (Roger) Montgomery originals and poems.

The poems include, “How M’Dougall Topped the Score”, “The Play” (an excerpt from CJ Dennis’ classic, ‘The Sentimental Bloke’), “Spirits of Australia”, “Scots Annie” (the last two written by Roger).

A short poem also leads into first track, “Shemlock Town”.

Roger’s original songs include, “Time to find Mathilda”, “The Ballad of Emu Plains”, “Maida Vale Dance”, “The Yuppie Song”, & “Kerosene Lane”.

He also provided tunes to poems, “The Lost Shanty”, “A Christmas Wish” & “A Good Look ‘Round”.

Traditional songs comprise, “Travelling down the Castlereagh” (credited here to Banjo Patterson) and “Poachers Fate”.

Another couple of songs are taken from the band’s Audio Dramas; “Women with Guns”; “Going South” from Jack Sorensen, WA’s Forgotten Bard (the words were composed by Jack Sorensen while the music was written by Louise Bavin); “The Ballad of Emu Plains” (from New Currency and Pure Merinos”; the title track was previously used in an ABC production, ‘Songs and Stories’.

A highlight for me was the inclusion of the Don Henderson song, “Put a Light in Every Country Window”.

I also admired their arrangement of the 2 traditional songs, acapella, utilising a full choir, surprising me with their use of harmonies of both male and female singers.

The production by Erik Kowarski, is crisp and clean, the vocals out front, easy to understand and the musical backing effective and varied.

The album has notes on each track, indicating where in some instances the band first heard the song, and providing background on the track.

If you don’t already own a Dingo’s Breakfast CD, this one would be an ideal selection to have in your collection.