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.
Unable to find much info about Toni McRae. However, I note that one of the backing singers was Royston Nicholas, better known back in the 1960s as Royce Nicholas, who was married to, and recorded with a Toni McCann, singing pop/rock/R&B. Both of these ladies played harmonica (fairly unusual for ladies), and there appears to be more than a passing photographic resemblance between the two, even if the voice is somewhat different. So, were they one and the same person? Toni McCann seemed to disappear after her 20 minutes of fame on the pop scene, to re-emerge in the 1980s with an album of Aussie songs for Larrikin, along with Royce, entitled "The One That Got Away and Other Unlikely Tales". Any one have a copy?
ReplyDeleteAny further information out there, or am I reading more into what could be just a coincidence or two?
Yes Toni McCann and Toni McRae were the same person.
DeleteI should have added, thanks for sharing, Paul. I really enjoyed this album.
ReplyDeleteYes Toni McCann and Toni McRae are the same person. reference; Saturday Date, by Graeme Brown, published by Moonlight Publishing.
ReplyDeleteA little more info on Toni's earlier career can be found at this excellent blog.
ReplyDeletehttp://littleozziealbums.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Toni%20McCann
I have no idea if anyone is monitoring this blog anymore, but for what it's worth I have a copy of Banjo Flat in very good nick, but not for sale. I bought it off them (from memory). Find me @johnwlamp for more details.
ReplyDelete