If great songs are currency then Angel Snow and Matthew
Perryman Jones are well and truly in the millionaire set. Add in the capacity
to present their compositions in such an engaging and enthralling style leaves
you pondering with the thought that many more people should be hooked into
their music. Around a hundred folks in Bewdley this evening were not guilty of
missing out as these pair of finely tuned singer-songwriters meandered their
way from Nashville Tennessee to a sleepy town in North Worcestershire. The
local promoters continue to spearhead an impassioned project to raise awareness
of highly crafted music and they successfully unearthed a couple of gems for
this month’s show.
In contrast to Angel’s last UK tour, which also took on a
co-headline format, a sensible decision was made to give both performers the breathing
space to deliver a solo set, with just a few fleeting moments of collaboration.
Twelve months ago Angel performed more of a songwriter’s circle co-stage show
with Ben Glover which worked as both artists possessed a reasonable profile in
the UK. As this was just Matthew’s second trip and he was admittedly unknown in
many quarters, it was very useful to grasp his skills from an extended and
concentrated view. The positive result of this approach to the evening was that
each artist flourished on their own terms, whether basking in the beautiful
vocals Angel wraps round her songs or the gripping way in which Matthew shares
the fruits of his talent.
Angel had arranged to play the opening set on this short
tour and thus get first bite at freezing an audience’s attention with a
paradoxical warm glow. Midway through her set, the stunning ‘Lie Awake’ gets its inevitable airing
showering deep thoughts of where on earth this spine tingling song got its
inspiration from. The flow, mood and elegance of this song profusely captured
the moment with Angel herself giving a glimpse into its inspiration. Obviously
those knowing a little of Angel’s background were not surprised to hear of the
Alison Krauss connection with ‘These Days’
also making a welcome appearance in a set list that was occasionally improvised
on. From two songs which showed that Angel’s writing can turn the heads of the
big stars, we were brought up to date with ‘Secret’
from her latest EP and a song called ‘Disguises’
slated to be on her new album which is likely to emerge later this year.
Older songs such as ‘Coals
and Water’ and ‘Holiday’ also
made welcome appearances during Angel’s time in the spotlight, but these were
probably eclipsed by a newer tune in the sublime ‘I Need You’. There has been plenty of indication that Angel is
going to delve a little more into an indie rock sound with new material, but
this evening was all about the acoustic presentation. Perhaps the merits of
what is the ideal role for Angel can be debated when sufficient contrasting
sounds appear, however her emotional approach to song writing will prevail and
don’t expect too many upbeat happy numbers. This is what makes Angel Snow
admired and after getting further exposure via the ‘Back to Beth’s’ house
concert documentary that Bob Harris presented on BBC TV last year, this current
tour is enhancing her credibility.
We were briefly introduced to Matthew Perryman Jones when
Angel invited him to join her on ‘Secret’
and after the break he commandeered the spotlight himself to reveal the heart
and soul of a songwriter. Matthew’s first UK trip a couple of years ago was
supporting Mindy Smith and this time his focus was to promote his seven-track
mini album COLD ANSWER. No sooner was the set underway and Matthew referred to
the TV series based on his hometown with fond memories of his song ‘I Can’t Go Back Now’ being used. However
we did learn that Matthew was more aligned with the true grit of Music City
rather than superficial presentations, thus positioning himself in the ever
growing camp of those writers avoiding the scramble for that compromised Music
Row cut.
Also revealed was a songwriter forever searching the
ultimate inspiration of that perfect song with the background to ‘Waking the Dead’, ‘Table for Two’ and ‘O Theo’
spawning deep origins. Whether seeking retreat in Illinois, linking the twin
subjects of love and gambling or peering into the artistic world of Vincent Van
Gogh, Matthew dismisses the song writing boundaries. One of the framed moments
from his almost hour-long set was a rendition of an older song ‘Save You’, with Angel getting the reciprocated
invitation to share the vocals.
On an evening of a split bill intrinsically linked by moments
of entwined authenticity, Angel did remain on stage to join Matthew for the two
finale numbers which saw these two esteemed singer-songwriters ease into the
world of their fellow luminaries. A gorgeous version of the Tom Waites song ‘Take it With Me’, a previously covered
piece from both artists, sprinkled some gold dust on an already hefty collection
of songs, before a fun singalong of Springsteen’s ‘Hungry Heart’ ensured the audience could add a light hearted
conclusion to a seriously impressive evening.
Unfortunately the delayed arrival to St. George’s Hall meant
the opening set by local performer Elisha Green was missed, but on all accounts
the reports were good and once again substantiate the fine job the promoters
are doing to furnish the community with opportunities to enjoy quality music.
This was a second visit to the venue after the successful Dreaming Spires gig
last year and this enhanced turnout highlighted the momentum the shows are gathering.
It also helps when you acquire the services of artists the calibre of Angel
Snow and Matthew Perryman Jones for the evening. It was a case of the better artists
of Nashville being transported to the better listening audiences of the UK with
all the factors of a gig to savour flourishing to the maximum extent.
www.angelsnow.net
www.mpjmusic.com
