Tracey Munro Tracey "Nightpiece" LP 1987

We need to thank the Victorian Bush Folkie for making the tracks and graphics of this album available.

"Tracey Munro Tracey" was the group name chosen by Lynne Tracey, John Munro and Denis Tracey for the release of this album. It was recorded in 1986 and released in 1987. As far as I can determine, ti was not released on CD.

We have met Denis Tracey before on this blog but I know nothing about Lynne Tracey. Additional information from visitors:- Lynne Tracey is also known as Lynne Muir and is a well-known illustrator. See one of many web entries about her at The Printery House which makes this identification highly positive.

John Munro, an ex-pat Scot, will be very well known to many visitors on this blog. He has had a long career in folk but, of recent times, he is probably best known through his frequent and enduring association with fellow ex-pat Scot Eric Bogle. Need to know more? - then Google him.

There's just a little Australian content on this album, namely, the performance of Reedy River; the Henry Lawson poem as adapted by Chris Kempster. There are four tracks in the British Isles folk tradition, namely, Kelvin Grove, Miss Robertson's Reel combined with Troy's Wedding (instrumental), Bonny George Campbell combined with the instrumental Green Cathedral and the the Irish Giolla Mear (Mo Ghile Mear). The other tracks are not really folky (in the sense I use it) - more like early "new age". Of course, it is a pleasure to listen to this album with each of the performers displaying great talent. There is one unexpected feature in tracks 7 and 10 - Lynne Tracey's breathing in  is often very audible. Just ignore it.

The LP has cleaned up well.

Tracklist
1. Great Storm
2. Portrait of a Lady
3. Miss Robertson's Reel with Troy's Wedding
4. Kelvin Grove
5. Nightpiece
6. Too close to the Wind
7. The Stolen  Child (from W.B. Yeats poem)
8, Bonny George Campbell with Green Cathedral
9.  Reedy River
10. Giolla Mear

Click here to download from MediaFire
You will need to decompress the file you download to extract the folders and the track files and graphics. MP3 @ 224-256 VBR - file size 62Mb.

Toni McRae "Banjo Flat" LP 1975

A friend (who prefers to remain nameless) provided me with .wav files of the tracks of this album which he had sourced from elsewhere.

The original source material had a high level of clicks and pops and had been recorded at slightly too high an input volume leading to some clipping. Nevertheless, the tracks have cleaned fairly well and the clipping is not overtly intrusive.

This is an interesting album - a sort of 1975 anthem to Australia mainly featuring (then) modern material and themes - both good and bad. Toni McRae's performance is of a high quality enhanced both chorally and instrumentally by some top-notch performers.  The line-up was:-

Vocal harmonies: Toni McRae; flute and harmonica: Toni McRae; Male Choir: Wayne Findlay, Kirk Lorange, Royston Nicholas, Ray Hall; narration: Ray Hall; acoustic guitars: Kirk Lorange, Doug Ashdown; electric guitar: Kirk Lorange; bass guitar: John Griffin; drums and percussion: Doug Bligh; all keyboards: Wayne Findlay; Didgeridoo: George Thompson.

My favourite is "On the Night Train" - I am certain that Henry Lawson would have approved. I have no proper graphics and have included some files used on eBay and a stop-gap measure - anyone able to help?

Tracklist:

    Side 1:
    1. (The Fight at) Eureka Stockade
    2. Bellbirds
    3. Second Class Wait Here
    4. Fairy Tales
    5. Henry's War (on Nature)
    6. Last of His Tribe
    
    Side 2:
    7. On the night train
    8. The Carpet Snake Song (Ballad of the Totems)
    9. Banjo Flat
    10. You Were Gone
    11. Going Home
    12. I Am Part of the Country.


Click here to commence downloading the compressed album file (ZIP file)
File is 53Mb and must be decompressed before playing. Tracks are MP3 @ 224VBR.
If download fails, let me know by, preferably email to mr.stockman@gmail.com, or by comment on this posting.