Review for Live In Fitzroy
Rhythms magazine – July 2006:
THE HOODANGERS
"LIVE IN FITZROY"
INDEPENDENT
Melbourne’s ‘punk trad’ sextet The Hoodangers have
long been one of my favourite ‘live’ bands, with their special
blend of musicianship, energy and irreverent humour. They have released
three albums, none of which has quite captured what the band is all about.
Their latest, Live In Fitzroy, rectifies that. Recorded last year, it
finds the band working out on venerable jazz staples like ‘The
Girls Go Crazy’, ‘Climax Rag’ and
‘
Wild Man Blues’. Great solos from Eugene Ball (trumpet), Chris
Tanner (clarinet) and Ben Gillespie (trombone),
high-spirited vocals from Tanner or Gillespie on every other song, and
fantastic, controlled drive from Mal Williams (banjo), Mark Elton (bass)
and Ollie Browne (drums) throughout.