Various Artists - Home Grown Roots Volume 4 (Album)
The term 'roots music' seems to be growing more and more vague in its definition and inclusion of artists and songs. It seems to be the hybrid music genre, or the doesn’t-quite-fit country, jazz, reggae or rock.
Therefore, it’s hard to argue the two-disc compilation of Home Grown Roots Vol. Four by Foghorn Records is, in fact, roots music. I would say with a couple of exceptions, it fairly comfortably fits in the country music genre.
If you are not adverse to country music, you will enjoy the line-up, but let's call a spade a spade. The ‘rootsy’ exceptions would include Oh My My by Jill Barber,A Line in the Sand by Jeff Martin and The Armada and Down in Your Valley by Dead Letter Chorus, all of them choreographing just enough percussion and jazz instrumentals to discount them from country music. Immediately the names Paul Kelly, Josh Owen and Jeff Lang jump from the album cover insisting a listen to some well-known artists. Paul Kelly is never one to disappoint, and still holding one of the most recognisable voices in Australian music, has produced another gem in Throwing Good Love After Bad.
Josh Owen throws his little boppy track Nasty Weather into the mix for some funky-kick-your-heels-up-dancing. Jeff Lang’s Home To You has all the right ingredients for a good old-fashioned outback hoe-down. Winning awards for her country music recordings and writing, Felicity Urquhart earned her place among the other up-and-comers. Two Wheels is her contribution and romanticising the life on the road, she combines lyrics encouraging her audience to "ride these two wheels, far away from troubles and the dirt that’s under" with thigh- slapping melodies. Some Simplicity is a genuine as it sounds; Paul Greene checks all the boxes for a simple country hit. Gentle stroking vocals with an easy flowing tune; spin this one next time you are driving down the open road.
Ross Wilson's Hell of A Time is the next cookie cutter country track, strangely enough moving toward the American Country genre with the slight twang in his voice and guitar strums. Even though we have Paul Kelly (the original artist) featuring on the compilation, Natalie D Napoleon’s brave release of To Her Door kicks off the second disc. Humble enough not to imitate, she adds her own flavour to the well loved classic by slowing down the melody line in the verses and opening up the pronunciation of all the anecdotes of the dysfunctional love story.
A final thought of gratitude, Foghorn seemed to have seen the light and move away from the DDA that they trialled with volume three and are back to the comfortable CD version for volume four.
