Billy Robert and the Rough Riders
The Last of the Originals
(self-released)
Australian artist Billy Robert and his band, the Rough Riders (Billy Anderson and Ed Glass), offer up a country-rock jangle of 10 fine tunes on The Last of the Originals. Starting with “Mrs. Jones,†a laid-back, talking-vocal ditty of loud, high-end guitar and plinking piano; it’s apparent we are in the capable hands of a songwriter with a wry sensibility playing with a band big on musical economy. “My Baby Gone Cold†sees an even more studied piano from Roberts on a more straight-ahead country tune, while “With You†floats and swings, a mandolin leading it all off.
A more serious “House of the Rising Sunâ€-like plucking mixes with Robert’s talking on “Never Know.†It’s a perfect center piece to the album with some nice slide, then big loud lead for a counterpart. The fun, nasty lyrics to “No More Mr. Nice Guy†is a fine example of country at its snipe-est with harmonica, in-the-pocket simple snare and subtle lead playing. The fiddle-led “I Was Young†lays a nice harmony vocal, easy base vibe and the fiddle. Counterpart dramatic echoey guitar are evident on the equally “Davy Crockett and the Alamo,†a pure story song, and maybe the best here. I like the switch-up of tempo and the heavy rockin’ mid-way. Things pick up speed and really get your toe tappin’ with a fiddle throughout that sails all the way to the jam-out at the end. The tom-tastic, unrelenting low jumble of “Red Head Baby” ends.
