[from Mike Daly in Green Guide, The Age, 6/4/89]

Country boogie, western swing or whatever you like, the Moonee Valley Drifters play it all with obvious relish on Boogie Woogie Fever (Brunswick Recordings 05), an album recorded with assistance from the ABC's Music Deli radio program on an independent label run by the City of Brunswick.

The sextet is headed by Tom Forsell, an expatriate American who is also a DJ on 3CR. Forsell (guitar, mandolin) leads the vocals, with Rob Grenville (lead guitar) taking over on R & B numbers like his fun, rocking original "Have You Ever". They are backed by a some familiar names: producer James Black (ex Mondo Rock) tinkles the piano with assurance, and solid rhythms come from drummer Andrew (Pixie) Lindsay and double bassist Paul Pyle. Peter Linden (pedal steel, sax), who appears on Stephen Cummings's new album, plays a prominent part in the MV Drifters' sound.

The 15 tracks include old country standards like Gene Autry's well-worn "Back In The Saddle", rubbing leathers with boogie workouts like "Rock That Boogie" or the energetic title track. I particularly liked the guitar-rich "3 Will Get You Six", an original instrumental, and Linden's nimble backing on "Sitting On Top Of The World". And "Melba From Melbourne", a Marty Robbins song celebrating a Melbourne romance, was a surprise to me. I wonder who she was?

You normally find the Drifters at the Cricketers Arms, Richmond, on Saturday nights, but their next date is 16 April at the Heidelberg Festival in Heidelberg Park.

[from Ken Weir in EG (?) 1988 (?)]

BOOGIE WOOGIE FEVER

The Moonee Valley Drifters (Brunswick Recordings)

Great bar bands, all too often, do not make great records. The glory and sweat of a live gig is commonly replaced, after a dose of harsh reality in a recording studio, with dreadful vinyl. In the Drifters' case it is not a lack of taste, chops or spirit–they have all three in abundance–that robs their album of zing, but rather a flat production job. Still, given a much-needed boost in volume there's plenty to enjoy.

Whatever their music can be called — western swing, country boogie, country swing or just plain good rocking music — the Drifters are toe-tapping, good-timing fun. They've plundered their record collections for honky tonk classics such as 'Back In The Saddle Again' (Gene Autry), 'Good Deal Lucllle' (Al Terry/Moon Mullican), 'Melba from Melbourne' (Marty Robbins) and 'Rock that Boogie' (Commander Cody), and handle them with verve.

[from Max Thorburn, unknown source]

Boogie Woogie Fever — The Moonee Valley Drifters (Brunswick Recordings) Record BR 05

It was with reluctance that I sat down to experience for the first time the sound of the Moonee Valley Drifters and as sometimes happens, the record, both in quality and production took me by complete surprise.

The Moonee Valley Drifters are signed to possibly the only Local Government record label in the world. The album is a project of the City of Brunswick.

The first track "Rock That Boogie" jumps along and while not a country track, I was quick to work out that the players certainly had an unusual country feel. The next track "I Wish I could Fall In Love" is a Roger Miller composition. It is some time since I've heard a version of this song and the rendition here is first class.

"Have You Ever" is an uptempo boogie number penned by the groups lead guitarist Rob Grenville.

The Gene Autry classic "Back In The Saddle" is next and I thought an excellent version.

There is no doubts about the variety on this album as it's back to boogie with "Boogie Woogie Fever".

Lead vocalist Tom Forsell is a former American and his song "Here I Go Again" is one of the best country tracks on the album.

"I'm Gonna Live and Let Love" begins with a blue-grass feel and is another track which gives a pretty good idea of the good sound this group achieves.

Instrumentally the final track "Rio De La Rosa" is good but I did not fancy the song.

Side two begins with a country ballad "Cola War", written by Floyd Tillman. I have always enjoyed his writings and this is a first class version of a clever song.

The next two tracks "You Made a Believer Out Of Me" and "I'm Walking The Dog" are good country sounds.

"Sittin' On Top Of The World" is another enjoyable offering.

"3 Will Get You Six" is an instrumental track penned by group members Grenville and pedal steel player Peter Linden.

"Good Deal Lucille" was reasonable and the final offering "Melba From Melbourne" is a nice type of song written with American feel.

It is also one of the better tracks on a very good album.

As a bonus, ex Mondo Rock member James Black plays piano on the album and gave other production assistance.

The band also called in a few other musicians including fiddle player Jerry Hale on "I Wish I Could Fall In Love" and "I'm Gonna Live and Love".

The album is a mixture of perhaps, boogie, country swing and bluegrass.

Whatever they set out to achieve, they have done it.

This is one of the best country albums out of Melbourne in a long while.