Inspired by the miner's plight in the Buckland Valley, where an estimated 3,000 were killed by the black plague upon the first gold rush to the river in 1854-55.

Molasses Of The Dead

Traditional tune played at its finest by Roscoe Holcomb.  I'm trying to strip my recordings back a bit; one take, two mics, mono mix and rough around the edges.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Trail_of_the_Buffalo

Hills Of Mexico

Happy autumnal type tune played on a Gold Tone Vega Style Long Neck Tubaphone 5-string Banjo.  Played using the old time clawhammer/frailing technique.  Recorded on my Alexander Graham.

Open E on a Long Neck

A little somethin' I made a while back for some folks at an advertising agency. Anyways, they never got 'round to using it, so here it is for you lot!

Bandwagon Blues

Modal Banjo on an iPhone

A version of the traditional Australian song Moondyne Joe. Moondyne Joe was a bushranger from Western Australia from the 1850s and '60s, notorious for his ability to continuously escape gaol. These lyrics were sung by the public at the time of his 1867 escape. I've got no idea how the original song went, so I've put the words to some frailing tune I've written.  

Buy the album "Offer Hosts Of Village Priests" here: http://matthewmckenzie.bigcartel.com/product/offer-hosts-of-village-priests

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/johns-joseph-bolitho-3859
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moondyne_Joe 

Moondyne Joe

Inspired by the brilliant otherworldly landscape surrounding Coober Pedy, and the strange underground church there - it goes for a while...

Swan Messiah - Coober Pedy Fellowship Revival

A version of the old American folk tune "On Our Turpentine Farm".  The most well known version was recorded by The New Lost City Ramblers in 1975, although this version more closely resembles Charlie Parr's interpretation.

Buy the album "Offer Hosts Of Village Priests" here: http://matthewmckenzie.bigcartel.com/product/offer-hosts-of-village-priests

Down On Turpentine Farm

A song I've written based on the miserable life of Ned Kelly's unlikely hangman, Elijah Upjohn.

Buy the album "Offer Hosts Of Village Priests" here: http://matthewmckenzie.bigcartel.com/product/offer-hosts-of-village-priests

http://elevenmilecreek.blogspot.com/2011/08/elijah-upjohn-man-who-hanged-ned-kelly.html

Elijah Upjohn

I put some heavy gauge guitar strings on my Fender FB-58 5-string banjo and tuned it down to some sort of E modal thing and recorded a little something before bed time.

Home Strung Cello Banjo Improv

Featuring Peter O'Shea on the fiddle.  A song recorded as part of the score for upcoming short film MAN www.facebook.com/manthemovie

The main instrument is my nylgut strung fretless mountain banjo, tuned to C modal or some such tuning - double C maybe?  There's also a cello, fiddle, percussion and a baritone guitar buried somewhere within.

Bullock Hills Road

Matthew McKenzie's debut album, "Offer Hosts Of Village Priests" is an earthy yet mystical take on that high lonesome sound. A dark and murderous journey through mountains of old time melancholy, valleys of down home twang, and rivers of dusty Australian strine.

Matthew McKenzie

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