

Warumpi Band receives a rollicking introduction in this expansive retrospective, which showcases the Northern Territory ensemble’s historic mix of rock influences with Indigenous languages. Warumpi Band 4 Ever opens with the entirety of their 1984 debut album, Big Name, No Blankets, and also includes all of 1987’s Go Bush! and 1996’s Too Much Humbug. Listen out especially for the band’s 1983 debut single, “Jailanguru Pakarnu” (“Out From Jail”), the first rock song sung in an Aboriginal language. Thanks to the creative partnership of singer and Yolŋu man George Rrurrambu and guitarist and frequent songwriter Neil Murray, these hard-hitting songs capture the Indigenous Australian experience in fresh, accessible form. “Secret War” points out how forced colonization has never ended in Australia, and the musically upbeat “Breadline” reflects on the daily challenge to survive. Also included is “My Island Home”—an inspiring celebration of belonging that inspired a much-awarded 1995 cover from Christine Anu—as well as a live track recorded in 2000 and some spirited versions of The Rolling Stones’ early work from the band’s formative pre-album days. To hear more material in the vein of the latter, check out the comprehensive 2021 collection Warumpi Rock: Papunya Sessions 1982.