I first heard the Waifs when they supported Billy Bragg on his UK tour. They are an excellent live band but their CDs are just as good, it's just a shame they don't get to tour here much (even less now there are baby waifs!). This was their debut album. They are difficult to categorise - ... Read review
Advantages: Aussie folk, blues, country if you like that sorta thing Disadvantages: Don't play the UK enough
I first heard the Waifs when they supported Billy Bragg on his UK tour. They are an excellent live band but their CDs are just as good, it's just a shame they don't get to tour here much (even less now there are baby waifs!). This was their debut album. They are difficult to categorise - folk, blues, country, Aussie accents but a clear American influence - they cite Bob Dylon as an early influence.
The band consists of two Australian ... ...off around Australia singing to fund their travelling. They met up with Josh, third member of the band and the rest is history! They are all great songwriters and many of their songs are inspired by their life on the road. Their grandfather was American and you can hear a bluesy American influence in their sound.
They all play guitars (all are self taught but don't sound it - especially Josh who is fantastic) and Vicki plays harmonica, ... more
I first heard the Waifs when they supported Billy Bragg on his UK tour. They are an excellent live band but their CDs are just as good, it's just a shame they don't get to tour here much (even less now there are baby waifs!). This was their debut album. They are difficult to categorise - folk, blues, country, Aussie accents but a clear American influence - they cite Bob Dylon as an early influence.
The band consists of two Australian fisherman's daughters who, in 1992 bought a campervan and headed off around Australia singing to fund their travelling. They met up with Josh, third member of the band and the rest is history! They are all great songwriters and many of their songs are inspired by their life on the road. Their grandfather was American and you can hear a bluesy American influence in their sound.
They all play guitars (all are self taught but don't sound it - especially Josh who is fantastic) and Vicki plays harmonica, with fiddles, mandolin and tin whistle on the album. The girls (Donna and Vicki) do most of the singing - beautiful harmonies, and whilst Josh does sing we don't hear him on this album. The tracks are as follows:
- Take it In
A story no doubt inspired by their trips around Australia with its ' red soil and mango trees' - an upbeat song 'this is the day and it's here for the living'
- Gillian
An ode to Josh's Mum with the slightly Freudian line "You're the inspiration to the way I live my life, Gillian if you weren't my Mother I would make you my Wife" - however you've gotta love a bloke that loves his Mum enough to write a song about her
-Circles
This one puts me in the mind of a Beautiful South song with Aussie accents! About a life going round in circles...
-Sunflower Man
-Love song about a bloke Donna (I presume) pulled whilst busking who tipped her with a sunflower! I want to be a busker!
-Intimate
Beautiful Ballard written by Josh about a relationship you just can't end "I'd like to stand up on my own but I fear that you will forever by my crutch"
-Jealousy
Another bit of a dark one by Josh - a bluesy song about that little green monster
-Crazy Train
A waifs classic - always paid at live gigs again a song inspired by the South of America and the Blues but a bit jollier this time!
-Billy Jones
The (funky) Ballard of a transvestite! Wonder if it's a true story?
-Brain Damage
A song about going out to get drunk (I guess!) and leaving your woman at home.
- I believe
Back to ballads about how all of a sudden your life can get turned upside down
- Company
In a similar vein to I believe another song about the end of a relationship
- Waif Song
An upbeat ho-down after all those ballads - The story of the waifs in song version "We drive an old beat up car, we pay out of tune guitars, mother nature keeps us safe, even when we're off our face"
- Shiny Apple
A sweet little song to album to end the album about how appearances can be deceptive!
The waifs have a website at www.thewaifs.com where you can download some sample tracks.
I find it difficult to rate using the criteria below as it obviously depends on your taste but if you like a bit of (modern) folk give it a try!
