KEN ‘CHAINSAW’ LINDSAY – The Night I Saved John Wayne
Lights of Wollongong – Big Fella Wadumbah – The Night I Saved John Wayne – Tough Times Don’t Last – The Grey Army – B Double Trouble – Jacky Howe – Loose Wheel – Old Bloodwood Tree – Victoria The Place To Be – Drive In Dreams – Let The Mystery
It amazes me how so many foreign ‘country’ music artists rely on American traditional and classic country music styles and formats to create their own country music songs. It’s so different from what Nashville is tossing out today. Here’s an Australian singer that really uses his voice to sing a ‘story’ in his songs. It’s the same, incredibly gifted and entertaining style that was so predominant in all around country music coming out of the USA in the past. Today we hear it once again, full of stories about the back woods, the out back, and the back of Big Fella Wadumbah. It’s so comforting to hear the ‘stories’ of Australia via this method, and even more entertaining to hear it done so well utilizing the same musical instruments of old country music that made it popular in the first place. A good portion of these songs are written by Ken Lindsay, and very enjoyable, especially his song “The Night I Saved John Wayne,” which is full of John Wayne ‘movie’ style situations. “What else can you do when they try to screw your hero….big John Wayne?” Well, you’ll have to listen to this vivid description of an encounter with John Wayne, movie or otherwise. Even the musicians have that good old-timey country touch. Lindsay Waddington (the producer too) Chris Staff, and Ken Lindsay on guitars (some electric some acoustic); Dan Manning and Grant Hart on bass; Mandy Lindsay and Lindsay Waddington on percussion; Grant Hart on piano; Laswrie Minson on steel Dobro and harp (I believe that would be harmonica, quite well done too!); Mark Rigney on banjo; Hugh Curtis on fiddle and mandolin; Josh Senft on trumpet (especially good on ‘The Grey Army’); Tyhson Colman and Ken Lindsay on backing vocals. This is Ken Lindsay’s second release for Kross Kut Records in Australia, and I’m assuming he’s doing pretty good with sales, mostly because he’s a great country singer, in the ‘real’ style, the ‘real’ deal, with ‘real’ writing ability. There’s something special about ‘country’ music. It has the ability to reach down and touch the heart of anyone who will take the time to listen. Planet earth is moving pretty fast these days, and there’s always those who will ‘throw the baby out with the bath water’ which is pretty much what Nashville has done, but here’s a guy way down-under who is definitely keeping the tradition alive. We don’t get many CD’s from Australia (I have one more by Ken Lindsay to review), but rest assured this particular CD is going to the Rural Roots Music Commission for their review for CD of the Year honors.
Ken Lindsay, Kross Kut Records, P O Box 4819, Robina Town Centre, Queensland 4230, Australia
RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART AT WWW.NTCMA.NET