They're officially back and it's like they've never been away. It's been a full decade since the release of their now classic albums, "Big Name, No Blankets" and "Go Bush", but while this third album has been a long time comin', for diehard Warumpi fans, it's like returning to a favourite and refreshing waterhole.

Along with only a couple of other seminal Aboriginal bands (No Fixed Address & Us Mob) the Warumpi Band defined the early success of Aboriginal music in the mid-eighties, laying the groundwork of the 90s mega-success of Yothu Yindi and the abundance of todays newer bands, both in the cities and in the bush.

Warumpi's memorable magic always centred around the Blackfella/Whitefella partnership between lead singer George Djilyanga (formerly Rurrambu) from Elcho Island and singer/songwriter/guitarist Neil Murray. Once they added the Butcher brothers rhythm section from Papunya, the raw Warumpi sound was born. Djilyanga's erratic, but crazily-energised stage presence earned him a reputation as the Johnny Rotten of Aboriginal music, and the band played a number of memorable gigs until virtually disbanding in '87. Murray went on to release two critically acclaimed, but commercially ignored, solo albums, and the band reformed for sporadic tours and one-offs in '92, relying on their formidable string of outback anthems; "Out From Jail", "Breadline", "Gotta Be Strong", "Sit Down Money", and the recently re-Anu-ed hit "My Island Home".

Four years on we've finally got some new material in the form of "Too Much Humbug" and it's a cracker. Coming on fierce and loud on "Koori Man" Djilyanga shouts; "Well I'm back, and I'm hard, and I'm better than ever before / You see me comin, you won't know me, but you'll remember for sure, cause I walk straight and I'm in your face", and that he is.

Sammy Butcher is back thrashing out power guitar chords and recent recruits Bill Jacobi and Bill Heckenburg keep the backing bass/drum rhythm solidly in place. Murray adds his sincere, down-home, country-rock ballads, some good ol' rock'n roll, and his customary fine lyrics. The Alice Springs production and mixing from Mark Overdon (You Am I, Midnight Oil) is suitably open and gritty, managing a garage band ambience from the centre of the desert.

There's plenty of potential new hits here; the opening "Wayathul", and AC/DC powered "Stompin Ground", Murray's chuggin' "Cold Weather", a reggaed "Joining My Life", and the sorrowful "We Shall Cry". Hell, there's even a burning closing remake of their "Blackfella/Whitefella" anthem that's been freshened up for the occasion.

Expect nothing new in sound or direction, but because this is the Warumpi Band, nothing new is really needed. Let's just hope we don't have to wait another decade for their 4th album.