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Mike NogaFolk Songs Sensory Projects/Inertia What a wondrous place J. Walker's lounge room must be. Not only has it been the birthplace of three of the twenty-first century's greatest Australian albums (I refer to the last three Machine Translations albums, of course), but has also housed various studio projects along the way. This record only enhances my overactive imagination's view of this miraculous room. 'Folk Songs', despite being little more than its title suggests, is an album of magic, mystery, and greatness. For someone who has actually made his name on the Melbourne scene as a drummer (for the likes of Legends Of Motorsport and Sandro), Noga takes the reins of singer/songwriter extraordinarily well. Playing a vast array of instruments, and singing in a finely tuned and not-at-all irritating Australian accent, spinning yarns and being emotional in the best folk way possible. Stolen Day really kicks things off with a Neil Young-esque acoustic piece, leading into The Battle, featuring the greatly appreciated accordion cameo. For my mind, it's the less obviously solo tracks, like the flamenco-style We 3 Are Lost, that truly stand out, although Song For Bill, with only vocals and guitar, is still damn good. It's not going to be a standout album this year (it's been a great year), but for those of you who have become quite enamoured with Clare Bowditch et al, Mike Noga is certainly worthy of your attention. For me - well, I just hope one day I actually get to visit Walker's lounge room, that palatial haven of musical goodness, and see for myself what wonders await.  |
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