The concept of duality switched from the art world to its
distant creative cousin of folk and acoustic music as the Big Comfy Bookshop set
about curating the latest Friday evening presentation. The city of Coventry
provided a centrally located platform for two artists to share their
contrasting perspectives, while colluding in the ultimate union of excellence. Heading
south from Humberside was evocative singer-songwriter Katie Spencer,
symbolising Hull’s second gift to Coventry in the last couple of months in addition
to passing the City of Culture baton. Meeting Katie on neutral ground was
London-based folk artist Kirsty Merryn expressing a versatile approach to the
medium of traditional English music.Both artists are active movers on the upward trajectory of the career curve and ably represented by well-received CD releases last year, successful in reaching out to new listeners. They mirror the vibrancy of an independent scene that seeks ways to be forever innovative, and possess an acute talent to maintain a steep ascendancy. Their hour-long sets this evening created many post-gig talking points, with perhaps a spread to unite fans drifting into the scene from different angles, influences and preferences.
Kirsty utilises piano as her instrument of choice and fires
up a set of pristine vocal chords to spearhead a raft of traditionally leaning
songs. There are archetypal facets to her stage presentation and a high degree
of self-assurance to project a performer at ease with the direction of her
music. This confidence extended to delivering the opening and closing songs of
the set in unaccompanied mode. ‘Bring Up
the Bodies’ and ‘The Birds are Drunk’
are both found on the SHE & I album; a record rich in original song writing
as Kirsty set about telling the stories of historical female heroines. Like all
good singer-songwriter nights, the informative segments painted an extended
picture of the songs.
While Katie also bared her own thoughts, influences and
drivers, she plies an alternative route to song delivery, showing deft skills
on the acoustic guitar and a vocal style blending into the mood of her songs.
Katie revealed more about her roots in songs such as ‘East Coast Railroad’; random observant musings in ‘Too High Alone’ and legendary musicians
who have struck a chord in covers of John Martyn’s ‘Hurt in Your Heart’ and Jackson C. Frank’s ‘Blues Run the Game’. The word ‘folk’ is far too constraining to
define her music and a broad appeal crossing many virtual boundaries exists,
albeit with a slightly left field alternative streak.
Katie only treated folks to a single tune off her GOOD
MORNING SKY EP, although it was a good one in ‘Can’t Resist the Road’. The wealth of original unrecorded material
played suggests a full length and highly recommended release can't be too far
into the future. In contrast, Kirsty was more forthright in sharing her
recorded material with ‘The Fair
Tea-Maker of Edgware Row’ (referring to the infamous Lady Emma Hamilton) and ‘Forfarshire’ (commemorating the heroic Grace Darling)’
joining further tracks in ‘Queen of the
Mist’ and ‘An Evening at Home in
Spiritual Séance’ (featuring the archangel Gabriel) from the album. Older songs from a previous
record were played in the guise of ‘Winter
in Ontario’ and ‘Constantine’,
alongside an unrecorded number titled ‘The
Wake’, which can be accessed via an online video.
There was an obvious positioning difference between the two
artists in terms of stature. Kirsty’s extended experience led to a fair amount of
reflection, especially sharing anecdotes from her recent cathedral tour opening
for Show of Hands. With this in mind, the future was barely touched , although
a new song was introduced in ‘The Deep
Wild Torrent’ and dipping into traditional song via a version of ‘The Outlandish Knight’ may suggest an
exploratory move in this direction for upcoming projects. However, the future
must surely be on the original front with so much song writing talent at her
disposal. For Katie, the set was really all about the future; indeed a very
bright one for someone just turned twenty-one. From recollection, songs such as
‘Hello Sun’, 'Drinking the Same Water', ‘You Came Like a Hurricane’ and ‘Spencer
the Rover’ resonated from first listen and could be the cornerstones of a forthcoming
release.
There may have been those in attendance with different
preferences along the lengthy folk and acoustic spectrum, but the option to
savour the delights of both Kirsty Merryn and Katie Spencer was likely to be
the most popular choice this evening. Nestling among the explicit contrasts was
an implicit synergy that ultimately united dedicated followers of independent roots
music. Directions may branch out, but memories of the roots entwining during
one evening at the Big Comfy Bookshop are planted firmly.
www.katiespencer.net
www.kirstymerryn.com
www.katiespencer.net
www.kirstymerryn.com
