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Release date: November 4th, 2016
Running time: 28:57, 6 tracks
Handsome Young Strangers are back with a bunch of bush songs. HYS are said to be more a collective than a proper band. Anyway, the core of the band (the “official” members) is Dion “Drizabone” Dickinson (lead vocals, mandola, guitars), Mark “Na-na” Hyland (lead vocals, guitars, dulcimer), Adam Young (vocals, guitars), Adam Kenny (bouzouki, vocals, The Rumjacks member too), Jim Mongrel (Bass, vocals, ex-Sydney City Trash) and Mark “Looch” Lewis (drums, percussion, vocals). Apart from them, several friends have gathered to guest on this mini-album.
Their brand new offering is titled “Battle of Broken Hill” and it’s a well-balanced blend of self-penned songs and covers. Exactly half of the album is original material and the other half covers. My fave songs are the opening tracks “Battle of Broken Hill”, “Poor Ned”, “Fisherman’s Blues” and “I, Argonaut”.
“Battle of Broken Hill” is a brilliant original song written by Drizabone about a “strange” incident that took place in Australia in 1915. Lachlan McSwain (The GO Set) guests on bagpipes on this number, probably the most genuine Aussie song on the EP together with “Poor Ned”.
“Poor Ned” is a song that was recorded by Australian bush music heroes Redgum. In fact, the song was written by Trevor Lucas (Fotheringay), who brought it to Fairport Convention. Redgum sped it up and change its name from “The Ballad of Ned Kelly” to “Poor Ned”. HYS rendition is spotless: kick-ass version featuring Steph Miller (Roaring Jack) on mandolin.
The Waterboys classic song “Fisherman’s Blues” is simply perfect. It would be a sin to record a poor cover. But HYS have taken the right approach: respect for the original and some small arrangements to give the song a new lease of life. Excellent rendition on which HYS are joined by Steph Miller on mandolin, Marcus Peter Holden on fiddle and Michael Carpenter on Hammond organ.
“I, Argonaut” is another song written by Driza. Steph Miller guests on accordion and Marcus Peter Holden on fiddle. Great track.
The other two songs are musically different, less folk and more rock. “Mrs. Jones” was written by former band member Andrew “Fredo” Donkin who also guests on lead vocals. The song was inspired by The Sons of Lee Marvin and features Michael Carpenter on Hammond organ (BTW, Michael mastered the whole EP too). “Maxine” is a cover of Sharon O’Neill, a kiwi singer who topped the Australasian charts in 1983 with this song about a prostitute from Sydney.
“Battle of Broken Hill” has been released by Folk Til Ya Punk, the label which is focusing on the main Australian folk rock/punk acts. The EP can be purchased from their webstore and is also available on iTunes.
Tracklist:
1 – Battle Of Broken Hill 04:23
2 – Mrs Jones 04:39
3 – Poor Ned 04:02
4 – I’ Argonaut 06:16
5 – Maxine 04:10
6 – Fisherman’s Blues 05:21
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