The Bamboos

Australia's dominant musical contribution to the world is probably still best identified by those overseas as hard, sweaty, pub rock - think ACDC, Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, The Church, Silverchair, Jet, The Vines, Wolfmother.  More recently however, we've softened things up slightly with bands like The Temper Trap and Angus and Julia Stone getting widespread attention in Europe and the US.  However, for whatever reason, one genre that just doesn't seem to have taken off here in Oz is funk.  This is something that I've found baffling.  But more often than not, Australian funk/soul bands are only thought of in the ignominious context of weddings - the occasion where white people get sufficiently drunk/amourous to unashamedly break out the soul dance moves.
 
The Bamboos are a funk band out of Melbourne and have been getting rave reviews for their live shows for a couple of years now.  They are about to put out their second album, entitled Medicine Man, which features a number of tracks with guest vocalists, including this one featuring Tim Rogers.  Australians will be well aware of Tim Roger's back catalogue with iconic Sydney rock outfit You am I.  Here he lends his raspy vocal talents to The Bamboos' incredibly disciplined and James Brownesque guitar led licks.  The result is this very catchy, and surprising "unAustralian" sounding single, I Got Burned.

I first heard this song on Triple J, not knowing who the vocalist was. It sounded too vulnerable to be Tim Rogers, too sensative... and frankly, too in tune.  Apparently, Tim Rodgers was born to sing soul.  Who knew?

This one is for the Dje.