Sometime during the 1940’s, likely during World War II as US soldiers ventured out with country music in tow, Aboriginal Australian people took hold of and embraced the music, and used it as a vehicle to drive their heartbreaking plight of racial oppression. This aboriginal country music was pioneered by Jimmy Little and would go on to include such artists as Bobby McLeod and Harry and Wilga Williams.
And it’s being preserved by another big name from the scene, Roger Knox, who along with the Chicago collective the Pine Valley Cosmonauts has released an album that highlights songs from predecessors and contemporaries of this musical movement.
Stranger In My Land is an interesting history lesson, and the liner notes that accompany it tell fascinating tales of these Aborigines but it’s also an amazingly good country record, featuring Knox’s voice that sounds like a hoss, and as outlaw as your old man’s favorite singer: which suits well these songs that were written by people who were treated as outlaws for their race.
The walls of these songs are packed with musical guests, including alt-country mainstays Kelly Hogan who’s beautiful voice provides harmonies and backup and the rambunctious and deft musicianship of The Sadies as well as what is possibly the last recording by Charlie Louvin.
Another highlight of the album features Chicago stage-actor and singer Tawny Newsome on the song “Arafura Pearl,” written by The Mills Sisters. Newsome’s vocals are so lovely that you’ll fall in love with what she loves, which on this song is the coastal town of Darwin, Australia.
The tales of prison, drinking and murder will fit appropriately alongside any country music playlist. And those who have a sense of wanderlust and curiosity will lap the anthropology and politics right up and tap their toes in the direction of the “Land Where The Crow Flies Backwards.”
Stranger In My Land is out now on Bloodshot Records.
