POP MUSIC REVIEWS : Two Unknowns Top ‘Melbourne Shuffle’

“The Melbourne Shuffle” is a collaborative mini-tour by unsigned Australians looking for a record deal in the United States.

Highlighting the sparsely attended concert on Monday at the Coach House were striking debuts by Rebecca Barnard and Chris Wilson, two singers virtually unknown in the United States, plus strong sets by Paul Kelly and Archie Roach, known quantities whose worthy records have won a cult following here. Only Roach has a deal in the U.S. His new album, “Jamu Dreaming,” is his second excellent effort for the independent HighTone label.

Barnard displayed a fetching presence and a voice with some of Shawn Colvin’s folk-rock appeal, while Wilson’s big, rangy voice allowed him to indulge his penchant for the dramatic without sounding overblown.

Roach was too reserved and seemed ill-at-ease, but a rich, burry voice and poignant, disarmingly simple country and folk-rock songs sparked by his Aboriginal heritage still made for a powerful set. The unassuming Kelly may never be a star, but he showed once more that he is an exemplary pop-rock songwriter and an appealing singer. Deborah Conway, a Sandra Bernhard look-alike, displayed a strong voice, albeit one prone to a generically breathy, mainstream approach. The bill also appears at the Troubadour tonight.