Lonesome Sundown – The Breadmakers (Soundflat)
“Lonesome Sundown” is the ninth album for Australian rhythm ‘n’ blues ravers The Breadmakers and if you’re reading this outside Melbourne, Japan or Europe, you’ve probably never heard of them.
The Breadmakers have their origins in Victorian bands like Shutdown66, Cracked Jaffers and The Puritans and if there was a trademark available on the word “retro” they’d have dibs on it. They’ve been cranking up their valve amps to celebrate the roots of R ‘n’ B since 1989.
It’s not as if they haven’t done their share of touring, visiting Europe and Japan and well as most Australian capitals, but in these times of bands finding it hard to make ends meet when they go on the road, they’re stop at home types these days. “Lonesome Sundown” is on German label Soundflat so the international profile is there for those in the know. But these guys should be household names.
Founding members Lazy Dik (vocals and harp), Bootpolish Lacey (drums) and Cadillac Slim (bass) wouldn’t know a sample if one bit them on the arses of their pegged pants. The other members, guitarists Gumbo Squires (a close relation of Mikey Young of Eddy Current Suppression Ring) and Blacktop Brierley, are relative newbies with 15 and 30 years’ service, respectively.
It's no accident that The Breadmakers’ sound like they’ve blown in from The Crawdaddy Club or Eel Pie Island, circa 1963. These were London cultural landmarks where bands like the Stones and the Yardbirds briefly trod the boards. They channelled the original bluesmen who birthed all rock and roll. So do The Breadmakers.
Ten raving originals are the record’s backbone. They’re joined by covers of Andre Williams’ “Mojo Hannah” and Bo Diddley’s “She’s Fine, She’s Mine”. The Breadies even roped in former Pretty Things bassist John Stax to add some cigar box slide guitar to the latter.
Lazy Dik confesses on opening track “Three Times Cursed”: “I met a hoodoo girl/Then did her wrong/She laid a curse on me/It was oh so strong” and by the time his wailing harp blows in, you’re believing it.
There are plenty of ravers and a lot of twang. The unruly guitars have enough tonal variation between them to keep things interesting and the rhythm section has a loose-tight feel that most young bands can’t capture. Mikey Young’s production is uncluttered and true to the vibe of Chess Studio in Chicago.
Lazy Dik is a preacher without a pulpit, a man on a mission to reclaim the grossly devalued term “R ‘n’ B” from its current emasculated usage. Who the fuck was Kayne West anyway?
The whole record rocks regally (listen for yourself on Bandcamp) and the Bo Diddley track and the moody “Stuck In The Past” are its pauses for breath. That last one doubles as a badge of honour, as well. Long may The Breadmakers wear it.
1/2
