Backsliders ‘Left Field Holler’
This album is the tenth from one of Australia’s highly powered acoustic blues bands. It is also the first without Jim Conway who retired last year (after 18 years with the band). Jim’s harmonica playing very much defined the Backsliders sound and that of the Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band (which he led previously). The album continues the hard-hitting Backsliders style and has a diverse range of songs. Fuck you Shock-Jock and Cowboy in the Whitehouse are pretty clear in their political intent. They have also continued there interest in Vietnam with the tracks Antihero and Vietnam People. They have also continued their established pattern of reworking a couple of early 20th century blues songs. Their drum and slide-guitar combination of Rob Hirst and Dom Turner is joined by two of Australia’s leading harmonica players on most tracks: either Brod Smith (Dingoes, Brod Smith’s Big Combo), or Ian Collard (Collard, Greens and Gravy). The Backsliders have always sought the raw sound of delta blues that is earthed in the Australian continent; this album continues in that tradition. ‘Left Field Holler’ was mixed by Jim Moginie (Midnight Oil, Family Dog) and Brent Clarke (Ghostwriters). Release October 2007
