Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By The Mama-dukes, Independent 2020.
It’s become my practise to start the new year by reviewing the latest release from my Stradbroke Island friends, The Mama-dukes.
Point Lo Carport is the seventh album that I’ve reviewed, (eight including the solo album from Mama-dukes front man and main songwriter Dugald Anthony which was a really good album), and with each release I comment on the improving quality of both the performances and songwriting.
From their first album, Rusty Gold From Point Lo (2013), through to their latest release there has been a consistent communal vibe to their output.
Space has been provided for each member of the collective to have their moment in the spotlight.
While this approach is commendable it has naturally led to some inconsistency in songwriting quality within the albums.
As someone who has spent a good deal of his life working in bands I can tell you that this communal working method is not a common approach and The Mama-dukes are to be commended for their long-term commitment to the process.
Most bands are dictatorships, some enlightened and mostly benign – but many are uneasy alliances that burn brightly for a short period of time before differing artistic temperaments tear them asunder.
While there have been personnel changes within the Mama-dukes the core group of Dugald Anthony, Sean Ogilvie, Chris Hutton, Steve Reynolds, Rod Osbaldston and Scott Whitby have remained intact and developed a strong working relationship.
While I applaud the commitment to communal involvement and ownership there are some musical downsides that may arise.
The strength of Lennon and McCartney’s writing meant that George Harrison was mostly limited to one track an album and there is no doubt that Dugald is the strongest and most consistent songwriter in the Mama-dukes however Sean Ogilvie has come to the fore on this album.
The opening track, Real Deal, sets a high standard and his other songs: Drip Feed You Love, Changing My Mind and Come Back are also strong.
Point Lo Carport is the most consistent album that the boys have released so far and it led me to contemplate what tracks a best-of album would contain.
A hard-nosed approach of selecting only the best songs from their growing catalogue to release in one package could reap some rewards.
