In 1997 the founding members of the Aboriginal rock band
Scrap Metal Alan, Stephen, and Philip Pigram teamed up with their brothers David and Gavin and fellow Broome Western Australia local Paul Mamid. They began recording a vast array of country tunes that culminated in the release of
Saltwater Country. Musically the album bears a strong resemblance to the West Coast (of the U.S.) country-rock that was popularized in the early '70s. The songs are about life in the coastal town of Broome and the Outback. What's intriguing is that despite the distance, this album shares many of the same themes with American country. The song "Going Back Home" is a standard country song about living in the big city and wanting to go back to the country. "Roadtrain" is about the massive trucks that supply the Outback towns and the vastness of the areas they drive through. Beyond these themes, "Simple Song" pokes fun at country lyrics with its self-explanatory refrain "Just sing along to a simple song." While this album is one of the finest examples of Australian country, the universal nature of the lyrics make it ideal for American audiences.