One of Sydney’s best loved country folk bands, Billygoat & the Mongrels, have released their much-anticipated first album ‘Big City Low’. Taking on a gutsy and ultimately worth it DIY approach to the album has lent it an earthy country twang that supports Billygoat’s songwriting perfectly. Bass player, Cat Colman, took care of the engineering, capturing the wild live mongrel energy that the band has become so famous for. The album takes listeners on a voyage from country origins, to hillbilly disco, then deep down into the gloomy city swamp, and finally back to the couch with whisky in hand. Billygoat’s powerful, narrative style lyrics, combined with his guitar and banjo picking, are the heart of the ‘mongrel’ songs. His songwriting is set in country roots, with audible influences from Hank Williams to Tom Waits, making an interesting spectrum of sounds and songs. ‘Maddog’ Dave Perram’s versatile and delicate guitar arrangements glue the album together, while local folk head and aspiring poet, CJ Shaw, adds a new dimension to the songs with his wailing and chugging harmonica. Vocalist Brook Morgan gives the album a refreshing woman’s touch, and some guest appearances by the ‘drunken mongrel choir’ cap off this 9-track epic first album in true ‘mongrel’ style. "What's in a name? Well nothing necessarily but every now and then a band comes along whose music seems to perfectly encapsulate their moniker. With that in mind, set your mood to DIY country and say hello to Billygoat & the Mongrels. I know it's only Monday morning, but fix yourself a whiskey and break out that old harmonica while you're at it." Tim Sharp - http://www.circularkey.net [It’s 3 am when I meet Morgan in a bar that belongs on the set of Deadwood. I half expect John Wayne to mosey on in and challenge me to a duel Animal heads hang on the walls and I sit on a chair made of cow hide. Before I have a chance to talk Morgan jumps in. “We basically just started out playing around in the living room, me and Davey. Slowly more people got involved, wanted to be a part of it. We started playing a few gigs here and there, then it grew again. Cat on the bass, Bridget on the clarinet and Brook was always singing with us from the beginning, and now it’s been four years since we started at that stage, and it’s a full live sound.” He takes a breath. “You were going to ask how we formed right?” I defensively answer No, then scribble out the question, ‘how did you guys meet?’ off my pad. There’s some sort of brawl behind us but we both ignore it. Either the soft hue of the neon light is bathing Morgan in red, or he appears to be badly sun burnt. A bottle hits Morgan’s head but he seems unfazed, preferring to discuss the band’s upcoming gigs, whispering to me, as if they are a secret. “We’re playing the Vanguard on 1st February. Cat tends to set that stuff up, I’m given the privilege of being able to drink myself silly and write some songs.” At this point Morgan starts laughing hysterically and I begin to wonder if the bottle did some damage. Morgan is bleeding quite seriously now and his face is coated in a thick layer of blood. Neither of us mention it, and instead I quiz him about the wonderful music his bands makes. “It’s got a bit of that country feel to it but it’s not what you’d expect from country. It’s hard to explain our music. Maybe very alternative country? The crowd get into it they embrace the hillbilly, get their knees up in the air, some foot stomping, knee slapping.” I know the band has a debut album coming out but I’m reluctant to ask, he’s losing a lot of blood and swaying. However Morgan jumps at the opportunity to discuss the forthcoming album. “ Everything with this album seems to take longer then it should. It’s a slow process. The recording itself didn’t take too long. Fairly fluid, once you’re in there playing that’s the fun bit, it’s all the stuff afterwards that’s boring. Mastering, editing, choosing songs.” Morgan is telling me of the bands plans to do some rural gigs later in the year, as well as a trip down to Melbourne, when he slumps forward in his chair. This is my cue to leave and I slowly back out, tipping my ten-gallon hat as I leave.] - Thomas Mitchell