Aunty Raelene's debut album
New Dork Nation
Aunty Raelene
Reviewed by Tully Bates
The debut album for Aunty Raelene is one of the best political roots dance albums you could possibly hear. Basil, one of the four members of the group, discussed with Green Left Weekly their music, politics and new CD.
Aunty Raelene formed on Adelaide University in 1989. Basil credits much of their political consciousness to the mid-years of the Sandinista revolution, "Vietnam to our generation".
The second gig they played was at the 1989 Nurrungar protest (where the band members were all arrested). They have continued ever since making progressive political statements about topical events.
Aunty Raelene are irreverent. They point the finger at our culture, our politics, ourselves. Most importantly, they can laugh at themselves. The satire bites deep. Or as Basil put it, they suck the audience in with humour and then jump on them with the politics.
The debut CD, New Dork Nation, is tongue in cheek, as the title suggests. The music is a fusion of funk, rap and rock. Basil claims that in Australia if you don't sing in a North American accent, you feel like there's something wrong with you.
The CD was released on the Greasy Pop label and you can get one by ringing JJJ. Rumour has it that Aunty Raelene won't be around forever, and with a run of only 500, the CDs are practically collector's items, so get in quick.