Folk Songs

Mike Noga's resume reads like some kind of who's who of the Melbourne music scene...

With time in groups such as Legends Of Motorsport, Sandro, Songs: Ohia and The Drones, side projects with the likes of Mick Turner [Dirty Three] and his own group, The Soldiers, with members of Machine Translations, Mike's a busy boy!

Four years ago Noga started work on his solo album, finished it, scrapped it, called up buddy J Walker [Machine Translations] and then recorded another album... so now, finally, proudly, he presents the wonderful 'Folk Songs'.

'Folk Songs' is filled with heart and soul right the way across it's eleven tunes, which range in style from whisper quiet ballads to drunken bar-room singalongs. There are echoes of Calexico in the spirit of Noga's tunes.

There's a real feeling that Noga is a lover of old blues and country and much in the same way M. Ward can transcend time, Noga does the same with brittle samples, finger-picking and a shady vocal delivery that reeks of being done the day after the night before. A collection of songs, both hearty and slender, oozing honesty and the dull-grin of a few gins.

"He has achieved a supreme simplicity and grace on this very engaging album."
- Melbourne Age (4 stars)