Arriving seven years after his milestone 1990 debut Charcoal Lane, Archie Roach’s third album bears several meaningful echoes of that earlier album. The Gunditjmara and Bundjalung elder addresses his fate as part of Australia’s Stolen Generations in “F Troop”, recounting meeting his brother for the first time at age 15. The opening “Beggar Man” also touches on that recurring theme of forced dislocation, describing routine police harassment in direct contrast to the song’s sunny reggae bounce. Family continues to loom large over the lyrics of the folky “My Grandmother” and “Mothers Heartbeat”, passing along wisdom and strength he gleaned from those strong female role models. Co-written with Hunters & Collectors’ Mark Seymour, “Hold On Tight” is a warm ballad about dealing with hard times in love. Roach’s wife Ruby Hunter joins him for the affecting lament “Louis St John”, sharing the tragically short life story (and lingering spirit) of Louis St John Johnson—murdered at age 19 just for being Black. Whether reflecting on Indigenous land (“River Song”) or people (“Djabugai Lady”), Roach sings with absolute conviction about what he holds dear. Holding forth against backing that ranges freely from stormy rock to plucky Americana, he again stands out as one of Australia’s most powerful truth-tellers.