Soursob Bob
Don't Quit Your Day Job
Independent

Soursob Bob is special and he's got something to say. Like Baterz and John 'Vinnie' Vincent, he deals in South Australiana in particular and the wry, witty ditty in general. Soursob Bob's stories are delivered dead-pan with an original style of half-talking, half-singing. In a way he's a rap artist, with a deep wisdom cloaked in meandering, local everydayness. This fourth full-length album shows Bob motoring along at the peak of his incisive power. He has honed his cheeky, humble and endearing performances and cleverly weaves in plenty of brave politics.

Centrelink launches the set and the warm, crisp production of this release is the first impression. There are layers of acoustic guitars, bass and background vocals, tastefully supporting Bob's homespun style. In the follow-up A Reddie In Me Cossie, Bob sings his hilarious song from the point of view of a woman. Employing complex and quirky rhyming schemes, Bob frequently goes where no writer has gone before. New American Century is a masterpiece of observant poetry, using a little cut and paste to enhance his bold statement on U.S. Americanism.

Polly is typical of Bob's skill in embellishing honesty with great colour while Mt. Hopeless is a unique bush-ballad with its commentary on the post-human circumstances surrounding our states' toxic mining activities. Then there's the RAA, hard rubbish day, 60 Minutes, the Duncan drowning-murder, green cans, Pizza Haven Enfield and so much more. This is a great album with 12 funny, pertinent songs. It comes with an especially charming booklet of photos and text, too. The supremely brazen Soursob Bob's day job should be to keep us amused by writing, performing and recording his irresistible songs.

Andrew Bunney