Artist: Billy Roberts and the Rough RidersAlbum: "Greenbah"
Spotify
Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders are a alternative country band based out of Australia. Today we are listening to their latest release, Greenbah. Billy Roberts is a wonderfully unique vocalist. His tone is a mixture of Tom Waits, and Bruce Springsteen, raspy with raw emotion pouring out of every note. On the album, Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders delivers a sweet sounding full band collection of songs. Featuring drums, bass, guitars and vocals, and occasionally piano and violin, each song packs a punch. Always with a smooth rise and fall in dynamics. While the songs are straightforward in nature, they are also refreshingly free-form, lyrics ramble and snap back to form with ease.
Some stand out tracks from the album include the intro track "Old Friend", which features lyrics about the album's title, Greenbah. A smooth ride from start to finish, the band whisks us away, like meeting up on a sunny Sunday afternoon with an 'old friend'. On the reflective track "Sinner" Billy sings, "I can't throw the stone at the sinner, cuz I've done the crime time, and time again". They say not to throw stones when you live in glass houses. They also say 'perspective is everything', to one person is a sinner, and to another, they might look like a saint. It's your world view and experiences that can form your opinions on everyday life. On the track, "Little Johnny", the band showcases beautiful violin playing. Last but not least... have you ever met someone you feel like you've known your whole life? On the last track "Ed's Song" Billy sings about just that, and how the love of playing and listening to music keeps relationships going.
Overall this is a wonderful collection of well crafted songs, and a release that will surely put Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders on the country charts. Don't just take our word for it, check out Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders album "Greenbah" on Spotify!