LAST WEEK IN LONDON
- Posted on March 4, 2008 6:05 PM
- 1 comment
From Tin Pan Alley to Texas
by Peter Coulston
Hello and welcome to the last week in February on this, a Leap Year. Not only do we get the Olympic Games and unsolicited proposals of marriage from our girlfriends, but we get to work an extra day for free. Yes, friends, 29 February is an extra day of work that only comes once every four years, so let us get into some good music this week to make up for it, and not hold our breath regarding a Leap Year Bank Holiday. Have you ever noticed that there is never a General Election in a Leap Year? Funny that.
Anyway, back to the music and Tuesday night, which was spent very pleasantly at the Electroacoustic Club at the Slaughtered Lamb pub near Barbican. Home of many a good session, this week was no exception. Singer/songwriter Josh Bray opened with some good tunes and unusual tunings which unfortunately took too long to set up. He has a good voice and an effective guitar style but was a bit off form on this occasion. I will check him out again though.
Jack Cheshire, in contrast, was very much on form with some excellent new songs to complement “Little Moon” and “Fireworks” from his recently reviewed and enjoyed album that is now available. Very passionate and professional performance, mate. Little Lost David is from Sheffield and has a remarkable vocal range, which allows him to scan octaves effortlessly like a young Roy Orbison. Most of his material, like “Lord Knows” and “Yours”, is quite dark but, like the Big O, he can rock. His percussionist was very effective, and he was on the John Kennedy show on XFM on Wednesday. Kat Flint is an acoustic singer/songwriter from Edinburgh back by two talented guys who cover bass, guitar, keys and assorted percussion between them. They also provide some excellent harmonies to her very melodic songs and her sound vocals. “Lazy Bones” was a good example, and she has a single out on 14 April about soldiers and sailors that sounds very English folk. Nice performance.
I don’t know if the world moved for you last night, earthquake wise that is, but it certainly didn’t for me. Then again, nothing much happens where I live and I was too tired anyway after a night of good music. Talking of good music, this was precisely what I was expecting on Wednesday at the 12 Bar Club, that favourite venue of mine tucked away on Denmark Street. On arrival, my friend and host, Andy Lowe, informed me that one of the artists, Rachael Sage, had literally lost her voice and was unable even to speak. A dreadful fate for anyone, but particularly for a girl from New York who is obviously very entertaining and outgoing when in full health. Instead of watching a live performance, we sat and listened very intently to a preview of her new album, “Chandelier”, which, in itself, says something for the quality of the album. I have a preview EP which I will review simultaneously but, suffice to say, it is good and I particularly loved “Hunger In John”. Rachael and her manager will be back in New York and hopefully in better health by the time this goes to press so, catch you in the summer Rachael.
Many bands these days are trawling our musical history for a style that they are comfortable in rather than following trendy fads and continually reinventing themselves. Such a band is Adam Beattie and the Consultants, who perform blues/folk with more than a hint of jazz in the style adopted by Bob Dylan on his last two albums. Adam has a cigarettes and whiskey soaked voice which is perfect for this kind of material, and the stand up bass, brushed drums and big fifties style cello electric guitar got the backing just right. There was some banjo in there too, and I enjoyed “Pretty Pink Shoes”, “the bluesy “Bank Street” and the torchy “Every Time We Say Goodbye” (a new song, not the classic). They are on myspace and Hijacked Records.
Niall Kelly closed the show with some of his songs, old and new, and did a good job of it without his band. He has a strong voice which was put to use on the final blues, accompanied by a regular, dreadlocked patron on harmonica. Another good night, which really ended for me as I headed for the Northern Line at Tottenham Court Road to the strains of a busker’s tearaway version of “Like A Rolling Stone”. Bob would have loved it; maybe.
By Thursday, we are all in the mood for a party, right. Well I am anyway, and I managed to find one again at the Troubadour with my old party animal friends, Hey Negritta. Unfortunately, ill health struck once more. The show was meant to include The Barker Band, a country outfit that I reviewed recently when they were at The Borderline, but they were hit with a stomach bug. Devlin Love and Nick Reynolds of the Alabama Three were due to be there also, but were also due to appear in Dublin. It appears that Dublin won. All was not lost however, as Matthew Ward, the guitarist with Hey Negritta, opened the show with a brilliant blues set that included material by Robert Johnson and Skip James, all in the style of the original and very well received. This was followed by The Epstein, an alternative country band from Oxford who are very strong musically and vocally. They feature a real bluegrass banjo player, although his banjo is a cross between a Stratocaster and a curly Gibson mandolin; sounds great though. They also have terrific slide guitar and excellent harmonies. The easiest comparison is the Eagles, but you can hear the Burritos and Seatrain in there, as well as the Country Gentlemen for hard core bluegrass buffs. They have an album, “Last of the Charanguistas”, on Dandyland Records in Germany, and you can buy it on itunes and at Rough Trade. Check their myspace for more details; if you like this kinda music, you’ll like them.
Hey Negritta sound and look better every time I see them, which isn’t that often as they spend much of their time in Texas. With Matthew and the rhythm section suited and booted, Felix in his red braces and brogues and Captain Bliss blowing his harmonica barefoot, they cut a very dashing style on stage. As for the music, it’s all about the South, hotel rooms in Austin, riverboats, love lost and found and booze; and not necessarily in that order. The three part vocals led by Felix are spot on, and Matthew and the good Captain never miss a note. Great party music, that actually takes itself very seriously while having a ball from beginning to end. They are at the Notting Hill Arts Club this Friday before heading back to Texas, so check them out. As for me, I will prepare myself for another week, which will hopefully include One Republic and Zaid Joseph’s Zarathustra night. In the meantime, keep listening and stay safe and well.
Comments (1)
Rebecca
See you at KC tonight then!!!
Posted on March 5, 2008 3:47 PM
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