Spindlewood "Face the Wind" CD 1991

This was Spindlewood's second album; this time issued on CD in 1991. It has long been "out of print". With this album the principal performers were Toni Griffiths, Bob Hefner, Loani McRae, Wayne Collins and Jesse Rowan (then known as Cathleen Moran). The CD also acknowledges contributions from five other musicians.
This album is less focused on traditional folk than the first and there is a bit of a Celtic, New Age feel to it, however, it features some really great harmony and musical performances. Smooth, sophisticated and disciplined are three adjectives that spring to mind. This is an album that is far broader than its folk roots. Even your folk-hating friends will enjoy this one.


The tracks are:-

1. Southern Land - W. Collins
2. Fear a Bhata - Trad
3. All the Ships - Tony Griffiths
4. Land of Light - Roy Gullane
5. Island Spinning Song - Trad
6. Plant Your Fields - W. Waldman
7. O'Carolan's Ramble to Cashel - T. O'Carolan
8. Weave and Mend - M. Trup/A. Cameron
9. Morrison's Jig/Water Bearer - trad/S. Oldfield
10. My Father's Coat - Tony Griffiths
11. The Water Lily - Henry Lawson/ Priscilla Herdman
12. Common Load - Tony Griffiths

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from MediaFile
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Quintessence "Songs for a Winter's Night" CD 1997

This Quintessence is a South Australian group which formed in the 1990s and comprising Peter Day, Lyn Hynd, Diana McGregor, Michael McGregor and  Tricia Smylie. The album title, of course, comes from Gordon Lightfoot's brilliant ballad "Song for a Winter's Night". They do a very good performance of that track perhaps influenced by Harry Belafonte's poignant version recorded as "The Hands I Love".
I know very little about this group other than what appears on the CD information and I have previously collected a track of theirs not featured on this CD. Any further information would be very welcome as they have a very good folky sound.

Today, 18 Jan 2022, Michael McGregor emailed as follows:-

My name is Michael McGregor and I was part of Quintessence. Thank you for featuring our album. Your blog has just come to my attention. Further information: We were all members of tha Hills Folk Club in Adelaide. The inspiration came from hearing the Three women's voices together. Tricia has the deep bluesy contralto, Lyn the straight middle soprano and Diana the high soprano. Peter was already playing with Lyn and Diana and I were an established duo. Big influence was Hills, Herdsman, Mangsen.We were together for 8 years but  combination of family and health issues meant we had to fold. Thanks again. 
Thank you for the information, Michael

The tracks are:-
1. These Coal Town Days
2. From the Lambing to the Wool
3.  Carry me like a fire in your heart.
4. Will ye gang Love
5. Trouble in the fields
6. Too close to the wind
7.  Singing Land
8. Song for a Winter's Night
9. Redwing Blackbird
10. My Love
11. Send me back to Georgia
12. Leaving the land
13. Black Diamonds
14. Reqium for the giant trees
15 Children of Africa

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From MediaFire

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Spindlewood Self-titled LP 1988

In 1987, the Canberra-based duo of Wayne Collins and Cathleen Moran, cut the first Spindlewood album featuring a mix of traditional and authored folk songs (there are even three tracks available for Child Ballad collectors). They were aided in this by a number of musicians variously providing backing on the twelve album tracks and also by Bob Hefner as lead vocalist on "Hard Times". (participants listed in the LP artwork). There have been two subsequent albums by a much enlarged Spindlewood but this album has long been "out of print" and unavailable for purchase. Cathleen Moran now goes by the name of Jesse Rowan and web details are available under that name. 

This is a delightful LP with strong performances both vocally and musically by all participants. There are two covers of Australian authored works namely Eric Bogle's "Safe in the Harbour" and Judy Small's "Mary Parker's Lament".

The tracks are:-

1. Gone to America (Steeleye Span)

2. Talk about Suffering (trad)

3. Bells of Norwich (Sydney Carter)

4. Night Visiting Song (trad)

5. A-Soalin' (Paul Stookey and others)

6. Safe in the Harbour (Eric Bogle)

7.Mary Parker's Lament (Judy Small)

8. Hard Times (Stephen Foster)

9. Twa Corbies (trad)

10. Jock O'  Hazeldean (trad)

11. Queen of Argyll (A.M. Stewart)

12. Blue Eyes (for Peter) (W. Collins)

Download with artwork (MediaFire) MP3 192-224VBR 68M

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VA - "Come Listen to Australia" 1985 2LP boxed set (German)

I recently stumbled over this boxed 2 LP set. It was released on the German Teldec label in 1985 with extensive notes on both the music and Australia in both English and German. From the notes it appears that both Warren Fahey and the Australian Government contributed information and, quite possibly, encouragement for the release of the LP. Perhaps it was meant to be, at least in part, a tool to encourage possible migrants. The set features various Australian-based artists with a strong folk and protest flavour.  Possibly this set migrated to Australia as I can find no Australian references to the set. The second LP is a bit "iffy" in respect of some of the tracks which have not cleaned up as well as I would have liked so there are still some residual problems which detract in respect of three of the tracks. Because of this I have listed the two LPs seperately. I have also considered that LP1 is more in the remit of this blog but certainly LP2 is quite entertaining in its own right. There are a couple of errors in the listing of the tracks and artists in the booklet that came with the set, notably, Mike Jackson is listed as Michael Jackson; "10000 miles away" was reduced to just a 1000 miles and the Cathie O'Sullivan combo of "Nipper" and "Big Bill" (recently posted on the High Places album) is listed as one track and the notes give details about both but "Nipper" is not included on the LPs.

My scanning of the included booklet is a bit crude (too large for A4 scanner) but includes all the pictures and text. It's also a seperate download.

Download Artwork and booklet (MediaFire)

 LP1 Tracks

   01 - Wandjuk Marika - Didjeridu Solo                                                 
   02 - Phyl Lobl - No more boomerang                                                       
   03 - The Larrikins - Captain Cook                                                        
   04 - Christy Cooney - The Girls of the Shamrock Shore                                   
   05 - Dave de Hugard - The Tent Poles are Rotten                                          
   06 - Mike Jackson - The Teams                                                             
   07 - Currency - Come Listen                                                     
   08 - Dave de Hugard - 10000 Miles away                                                  
   09 - Justin Murphy - Wee Pot Stove                                                   
   10 - Cathie O'Sullivan - Norfolk Whalers                                               
   11 - Warren Fahey - Tumba~Bloody~Rumba                                                  
   12 - Cathie O'Sullivan - Bluey Brink                                                      
   13 - Mike Jackson - The Waterfall Waltz                                                      
   14 - Cast - Jindywaroback                                                                
   15 - Eric Bogle - The Great Australian Takeaway                                     
   16 - Geraldine Doyle - Stand on your Man

Download LP1 (mediafire)

LP2 Tracks                                                 
   17 - Bernard Bolan - Australia Square                                                    
   18 - Cyril May - Mullimbimby Madness Millionaire                                        
   19 - Clem Parkinson - The Wimmins Ball                                                      
   20 - Lyell Sayer - F1~11                                                               
   21 - Chris Duffy - Aussie Medley                                                     
   22 - Jeannie Lewis - Red Dust                                                            
   23 - Black Diamond - The bloody company                                                    
   24 - Tactics - Buried Country                                                              
   25 - R U Ready - The Road to Noonkanbah                                                      
   26 - Cathie O'Sullivan - Big Bill                                                            
   27  - Phyl Lobl - Seasons of War                                                             
   28 - Eric Bogle - And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda

Download LP2 (mediafire)      

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Wallis and Matilda - "Banjo" Paterson Tribute Band

I've had a recent request for music from the "Wallis and Matilda" group. I do happen to have some of their material - the CD set of their first three albums "Pioneers", "Old Australian Ways" and "Singer of the Bush". They are a "Banjo" Paterson tribute band performing his songs and also singing their arrangements of his poems. As far as I know the band is still active. Regardless, all their material is still readily available for purchase either at retailers or by order from themselves or the Planet Company.
They are actually very good at what they do. The two web sites of interest are the Wallis and Matilda Website and the Planet Company Wallis and Matilda section.
Some of their output is also on iTunes and YouTube.

The Bushwackers "Dance Album" LP 1980 (Graphics Only)

These graphics have been kindly provided by a new Tasmanian visitor. Many thanks for your kindness.

I am not posting any of the tracks with these graphics. For those who wish to recreate the album, the relevant tracks are all on CD3 of the previously presented Bushwackers set. You can go to that posting by clicking on here.
Leave out the first two tracks and simply renumber the rest in the same order.

You have two options for obtaining these graphics. For smaller graphics, "right click" on each graphic and select save image and proceed from there.For larger graphics, use this Download link. (Only 1.3Mb)

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Cathie O'Sullivan with Cleis Pearce - "High Places" LP 1983

.Wav files of this album were kindly provided by one of our NSW visitors. Many thanks for your continuing support. Larrikin produced the LP as LRF-128.

Cathie has appeared on compilations in this blog before but this is the first LP presented here. (anyone got a good copy of her 1980 "Atesian Waters" LP -  pretty please) Cathie is a very highly regarded singer and musician performing mainly in an Irish celtic style which is very much in evidence on this album. I did not have access to the LP graphics and the included ones were found on, of all places, a Japanese website. In the absence of the LP notes, I have no idea what the first part of track 6 featuring an aboriginal language monologue nor do I know who the speaker was. Presumably, it leads into the second part of track 6 which is about uranium mining and its effects on the indigenous inhabitants. Can anyone provide better graphics or better information. Otherwise, all vocals are by Cathie O'Sullivan on harp or banjo with Cleis Pearce on viola.

Track List:
    A01. Erus / O'Sullivan, arr. O'Sullivan, Pearce (2:53)
    A02. Stoney town, Eileen Curran / Nielson, O'Sullivan (2:37)
    A03. Keeping so thin / Nielson, O'Sullivan, Pearce (3:07)
    A04. The orange tree / Nielson, O'Sullivan (3:27)
    A05. King of the fairies, Miss Patterson / trad. arr. O'Sullivan (2:45)
    A06. Nipper, Big Bill / T. Piper (7:06)
             Posted as tracks 6a and 6b respectively.
    B01. As stock go by / Morant, Tate, arr. O'Sullivan, Pearce (3:27)
    B02. There's anguish / Hewitt, O'Sullivan (3:45)
    B03. Lovely Dolly / trad. arr. O'Sullivan, Pearce (7:19)
    B04. The red rose top / trad. arr. O'Sullivan (2:45)
    B05. Farewell to music / O'Carolan, arr. O'Sullivan (2:35)
    B06. Leaving / O'Sullivan, arr. O'Sullivan, Pearce (2:53).

All tracks MP3. Music tracks @ 192-224 VBR. Track 6a at 128 CBR (monologue).

Previously listed with MediaFire and provoked the following response:-
The file you requested has been removed from MediaFire for a violation of our Terms of Service.
Further information from MediaFire identifes that the claim of distribution rights is only in respect of "Lovely Molly" and my guess is that some idiot at Muso TNT Limited (an anti-piracy organisation) has guessed that I am sharing the 2011 movie "Lovely Molly".  The ironic thing about that is that it is a traditional song.

Download from Mega NZ (new link)

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Gary Shearston - Music available for purchase online

A visitor recently noted that I have not listed any of the several albums by the excellent Australian folksinger Gary Shearston. As I explained to him, this was because all his LP albums, others than those featuring track re-issues, are readily available for purchase online on CD or CDR. As the visitor rightly suggested, I should bring this to general attention. Additionally, he has also released a 2 CD anthology featuring 42 of his most popular tracks which looks to be very good value.

The above graphic is the cover of his first album (1964)

Visit his website here
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Martyn Wyndham-Read "Ballad Singer" German LP 1978

We've previously published work by this fine English folk singer who once made his home in Australia and has also been a constant visitor to our shores. He is still a regular performer. His interest in Australian bush and folk music continues.
This album is a 1978 German publication which provides music and lyrics for many of the tracks. The extensive notes on the rear and the LP insert are in both English and German.

A kind person, George, provided this album to my friend Gonzo who has lovingly ripped and cleaned the music and then gave the result to me for publication on this blog.  Many thanks George and Gonzo. (Click here to visit Gonzo's great blog)

Please note: Files are tagged as 1968 in error. If it matters to you, retag as 1978.


Track List
1. Broken Down Squatter
2. Widgegoara Joe
3. The Stockman's Last Bed
4. The Old Palmer Song
5. Bitter Whaling Ground
6. Euabalong Ball
7. I Drew my Ship
8. Flash Jack from Gundagai
9. Garten Mother's Lullaby
10. Dennis O'Reilly
11. Ballad of the Drover
12. Lord Franklin
13. Last Farewell to Sterling

Download with graphics MP3 CBR 320 94Mb
From MediaFire
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The Halliards - Untitled LP - 1960s

I know very little about this band but they brought out this LP in Australia in the late 1960s. The band members are listed as Derek Moule, Brian Hall, Paul Langford, Stan Armstrong and Eric Brooks with some help from Rob McCarthy, Bernie Kellow and John McLaughlin. They were an Australian group but it is obvious that some of them are ex-pats from the United Kingdom and Ireland. (Not to be confused with the folk band "Halliard")
This is not one of my rips. I picked this one up from one of my associates some considerable time ago and I have no idea who it was now.  Many thanks!
This is a great LP and they do great justice to the songs on this LP both vocally and instrumentally. In fact, it is one of my favourite albums. The songs are mainly a mix of tracks from the British Isles with one Australian traditional - "The Roma Railway". Also outstanding performances of "Sweet Thames Flow  Softly", "Twa Recruiting Sergeants", "Red Haired  Mary", "Biker Hill" and "Minore".

Track List
1. Come In, come in
2. Black Country
3. Sweet Thames Flow Softly
4. Manchester Rambler
5. William Bloat
6. Greasy Wheel
7. Biker Hill
8. Minore (Two sisters)
9. Roma Railway
10. Twa Recruiting Sergeant (from the Black Watch)
11. Red Haired Mary
12. Brady of Strabane

Download from here
From Mediafire

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