LESLIE AVRIL - LIVE

Leslie Avril has one of the more unique voices in Australian Country music, but for some reason, she has never got the breaks that someone of her talent deserves. Leslie sings with a passion that can make you believe that she has travelled a long and hard road. When she sings the housewives anthem "I'm a Woman" or the line dance song "Trashy Woman", she lets you know that she's not be messed with. Under that tough facade there is something tender, because she sings the beautiful "He Thinks I Still Care" and "Break It To Me Gently" with so much feeling, they could break your heart. Rarely do I prefer live recordings to studio recordings, but in Leslie's case, "Live" is better. 

DARREN COGGAN - HOMETOWN ( ABC - EMI )

When Darren Coggan won Starmaker in 1996, everyone sat up and took notice. This year Darren was a finalist at the CMAA Golden Guitar awards and now ABC records has released his debut album. Under the direction of highly respected producer Roger Ansell, Darren has recorded an album that is unashamedly country. Most of the songs are Darren's own work and I particularly like "The Night Is Still Young", "Hearts on Fire" and the delicate "Emily Rose". Darren has done a very good cover of Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" but I honestly prefer Darren singing his own excellent songs. In the past year or so there has been some terrific young talent emerge in Australia, now we can add Darren Coggan to that list.

BECCY COLE        BECCY COLE     ABC

It seems incredible that this is Beccy Cole's debut album, she has been a favourite in country music for quite a while now. Although her talent has always been evident, she won the New Talent Golden guitar several years back. Beccy has had time to refine her act. Her big voice, wholesome image, and imposing stage presence are all extremely appealing. The choice of songs for this album is perfect. The beautiful Beth Neilson Chapman/Donald Schiltz song "Strong Enough To Bend" is a perfect vehicle for Beccy's style. Two other stand-out tracks are the Fred Koller/Pat Alger penned "Skip a Stone", and Fred Koller/Pat Alger/Bill Dale's stunning "Goin' Gone". The classic song "Cool World" was written by Ross Wilson many years ago, but Beccy makes it as modern as tomorrow. Beccy is developing a real talent for songwriting and has penned five of the tracks on this album. Most of us are familiar with is the fun song she wrote with Kasey Chambers called "Big Girls", but "Rest In Pieces" and "Can I Trade Him In" are also very good songs. This album takes Beccy into the upper echelon of female Aussie country singers....I think she's destined to be there for a very long time.

To say Slim Dusty has had an extraordinary career is an understatement.... He is the only person in the world who can say he has continuously recorded with the same record company for over fifty years. So along comes album number 93. His fifth dedicated Trucking album, and again he calls on his dedicated team of writers to help out. One of the most poignant songs included is Joy McKean's composition is "The lady is a Truckie", a sad story of "Toots", the truckie from the north. She is the first lady truckie to go on the Wall of Memory at Tarcutta, which honours truckies who have died on the road. This also inspired a second song on the album by Joy McKean "Names Upon the Wall". Stalwarts Tom Oliver and Ray Rose, join new chums, Kevin Wilson and Greg Champion among the writers on the team for this project. Slim is a well known "Treckie" who knows all about the Starship Enterprise, so I'm sure that it was with a tongue firmly planted in his cheek, that Graeme Connors gave Slim his "Star Trucker" song.

Did you know that way back in the 60's, Keith Glass played the staring roll of Berger in the musical Hair? I'm sure there's a good book to be written on how he went from "Hair" to here, so I challenge you Keith to make that your next project. At the moment Keith Glass' talent has been poured into his new album SMOKE AND MIRRORS. The first thing that struck me when I opened the sleeve was the number of well known names who have in some way contributed to this album. Wylie Gustafson from Wylie and the Wild West Show plays bass on about four of the twelve tracks. Wylie also wrote the Australian themed "Hooked On Honky Tonk", on which he duets with Keith. There is a fair bit of Hammond organ throughout this album but nowhere is it better used than on the traditional sounding "Time for One More". I love to listen to a country album with lots of pedal steel and fiddle and this one has got both, even on the old pop song written by Martin Plaza called "The Nips Are Getting Bigger". Keith Glass is in fine voice throughout this recording and he has written the bulk of the songs himself. If you have a chance, grab a copy of SMOKE & MIRRORS...... if you like a true country sound I'm sure you'll enjoy this one.

ANNE KIRKPATRICK        CRY LIKE A MAN             ABC

There is nothing trashy about this girl, from the moment the CD kicks off with the beautiful "You Can Believe In Me", you know you are onto something special. The delectable "Are You Wasting My Time", "Old Home Town', or the delightful "That's All You Ever Got From Me", are Anne at her best since her huge hit album OUT OF THE BLUE. I'm particularly taken with Eric Bogle's song "The Heart of the Land", and the same goes for the title song "Cry like a Man" and the rather sad "Forever never Felt so Far Away". Even the final track "That's All You Ever Got From Me" is a beauty. If I had to pick one song from this album it would have to be the one written by Anne's mum, Joy McKean, called "Many Mothers".

On a recent trip to Nashville I visited the Grand Old Opry, and was I lucky enough to experience Ricky Skaggs host one segment of the show. After some Aussies in the audience made themselves known, Ricky commented that he would love to come to Tamworth, and that we should take a message to those Aussies at home and tell them that they haven't heard bluegrass until they hear him play. Well Ricky is one of the best, but I think he'll get a shock if he ever does come to Tamworth... some of our pickers are pretty dammed good. Trev & Kym Warner and their friends are at the forefront of the current crop of bluegrass musicians who are doing this country proud, and their CD HIGH ROLLIN' BLUEGRASS will stand testament to that. While being a showcase for the two Warners, this album includes the work of some of our more significant names in Australian country music. Rod McCormack not only plays guitar, but he and brother Jeff McCormack played a large part in the recording, mixing and engineering of this album. Along with Beccy Cole, Carol Young, the McCormack brothers add their voices to this project. James Gillard plays bass and sings, and there's some fine fiddling by Mick Albeck. Trev Warner has a long history of playing bluegrass music and he has handed on that gift to his son Kym. Their album HI ROLLING BLUEGRASS is a enchanting mix of traditional and contemporary bluegrass that has obviously been put together with a lot of love and joy.

THE WHEEL    GOOD NOISE              ROO ART/BMG