The Pardoners are Glyn Mason and Sam See and they’re as close to Australian rock royalty as you can be. Space doesn’t allow for a full pedigree, but Glyn Mason has played in Newcastle over the past 40 years with bands including Chain, Ariel and Brian Cadd. And Sam See has visited with the original Sherbet, Flying Circus, Fraternity, Stockley, See and Mason, John Farnham and Brian Cadd.

Obviously comfortable in their own skins, they share songwriting, singing and playing duties on this ostensibly acoustic, laid-back 14-track collection.

Some are heartfelt, some are whimsical, some are (I’m guessing) autobiographical, and all are good, as you would expect of blokes with their experience.

A couple of the ballads are Bob Dylan meets Joe Camilleri (Harley and Rose) with a little Paul Kelly thrown in. One thing that strikes me about these songs is that as great as they sound in their pared-back form, they also lend themselves to a full-tilt boogie backing. You can catch The Pardoners at Lizotte’s Newcastle tomorrow night and I’m informed the album will be on sale.