Resonance

The musical pedigree of Pitjantjatjara man Bart Willoughby goes back to the late 1970s, when he founded the pioneering Aboriginal rock-reggae band No Fixed Address, whose song ‘We Have Survived’ became an indigenous anthem. His next group, Mixed Relations, spawned several more popular hits, including ‘Aboriginal Woman’ and ‘Take it or Leave It’, a reworked version of which appears here as ‘Walking This Land’. He has continued to release solo albums, and also makes appearances with the all-star Black Arm Band.
His latest release is a combination of his usual reggae-inflected fare, along with some distinct oddities. Born out of a bush journey through West Australia's rugged Kimberley region, and utilising the area's natural sound amphitheatres, this was recorded both there and in Melbourne's Town Hall, as well as in the studio.
The spoken-word track ‘Gabe’ from Gija elder Gabe Nodia is of particular cultural interest, as is Willoughby's unusual composition ‘Federation Bells’, which features the operatic soprano of Shauntai Batzke. Never a note-perfect singer himself, Willoughby nonetheless makes up for it with his earthy, hearty sing-along-friendly tunes like ‘One’ and ‘Woodskin Funk’, where he's backed by Stephen Pigram's ukulele and the blazing sax solos of Phil Bywater.