“Mallee,” for those without roots in Australia, refers to the country's desert vegetation—and the region near Melbourne where John Williamson grew up. Here, he tells the story of his youth with vivid, realist descriptions that recall earlier U.S. counterparts like Merle Travis and Roger Miller. Williamson is funnier, though: Neither of those artists ever wrote a song in which a budgie relieves itself on a vet. Such humor (and humanism) transcends any differences in dialect.