DREAMING AUSTRALIA recording released

DREAMING AUSTRALIA available on Spotify & other platforms

Feb 21, 2024

The response to the recording has been really positive. The best responses coming from North American listeners familiar with rootsy folk music.

Melody Maker called the album, ‘one of 2023's most meaningful releases,’ placing stress on the thematics of the writing, which they say gives the music a ‘rare vitality and relevance’.

The cultural crtic, Garth Thomas at the Hollywood Digest, writes that, ‘FREDDI's art blends immigrant Australian and Aboriginal influences into a potent artistic melting pot rife with flavour and endless possibilities.’

TobBuzz appreciated the singing and songwriting -

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‘FREDDI's greatest strength as a singer is his ability to evoke profound emotions from the full gamut of his material - his first solo album establishes his credentials as a formidible songwriter and interpreter beyond any question.’

The ‘Great Australian Songbook’ minus John WIlliamson?

Here in Australia the reponse has been more muted. My choice of songs seems to have landed the album in a cultish mire: people who like Shane Howard and ‘Solid Rock’, don’t like John Williamson! Rather should I say: people who know Shane Howard wrote Solid Rock, don’t like John Williamson.

I get the sense that John Williamson represents bad politics. Where Shane Howard’s involvement in Aboriginal and environmental politics, John Williamson’s involvement in those same issues (which is extensive) makes the latter a ‘sellout’.

I chose to sing a love song written by Williamson called, ‘City Girl, Bush Boy’ —

Everybody Loves John Williamson, don’t they?

For me, John Williamson is best known for the songs my kids loved. We could all sing along to ‘Give Me a Home Among the Gumtrees’, ‘Big Bad Bushranger’, ‘the Budgie Song’ and so many others. For my part, the songs are intelligent, witty and not the other trash that passes for children’s music, so i encouraged the listening. Just good fun.

Whilst he is known as a chronicler of national events, John is also an influencer of how those events connect to a national story. For good or ill.

I like to think of John as the suburban Slim Dusty. Just as we have Paul Kelly for the inner city experience, Williamson talks to us from the regions, as Slim Dusty spoke from the bush and the open road. Half way between Banjo Paterson and Paul Kelly, but just as important.

‘Solid Rock’

People connect as Australians when Slim Dusty played the AFL Grand Final, or Paul Kelly, or John Wiliamson, or Shane Howard —

Last year we heard Shane Howard with Goanna and others play ‘Solid Rock’ at the Grand Final in the midst of a highly politicised Aboriginal Voice Referendum.

So teh Dreamign Australia release has been quite timely, picking up this song as a flavour of the month. Melbourne radio played my interpretation with appreciation alongside the Ripple Effect Band from Manningrida, and Archie Roach performing ‘One Song’.

John Williamson vs Shane Howard

Elsewhere I had a presenter ‘forgive’ me for putting John Williamson on the record. Mmm. I really did miss something more important than the importance of John WIlliamson.

I know exactly what he meant - I saw Williamson perform one time at a 300-seater in Colac. He gave the impression of being one of those conceited performers who just can't seem to enjoy himself.

Anyhow, my kids love his music and I can't do much about that.

We are in culture war and it manifests in strange ways. For the man who sang up the ‘Diggers of the Anzacs’, helped us all to better celebrate Uluhru with ‘Raining on the Rock’; who made us think of the Koalas in ‘Goodbye Blinky Bill’ and resist reckless logging in ‘Rip Rip Woodchip’. Even his Repulican sentiment was a witty dig, ‘We must have a Flag of our Own’. Not all of these combined virtues can make up for John’s association with the Howard liberals and major league football.

John Williamson is doggardly ‘Australian’. And he will give voice to any if not all national questions, even if, sometimes, just for the money. He has done so much to give a voice to flag-waving communities and to reinforce a sense of decency, good humour and common sense.

So my Dreaming Australia includes both Shane Howard and John Williamson and I’ve sat them both alongside Banjo Patterson as perhaps our most loveable native born ‘Australian’ myth-maker.