Rod Picott is the trusty troubadour whose art never subsides
from a lofty plateau. Whether immersing in the creative process or presenting
his material on the road, consistency has been the badge of honour proudly worn
across the continents. Throughout a lengthy and humbled song-writing career,
this Maine native has long defied the notion of heart and soul being the sole
instigator of the moving song. Framing an image of muscle, toughness and a
philosophical perceptive field has proved a fertile strand of influence across
a conveyor belt of records and shows over many years. If anything, the output is
likely to escalate, with the written word now spreading from literally hundreds
of songs to poetry, screenplay and a fledgling novel. Amidst this prolific
period, trips to regular haunts this side of the pond are still on the agenda,
with the city of Leicester welcoming Rod Picott back after a few blank years.
Although his association with our country stretches back a
lot further, the Musician hosted my first Rod Picott gig back in 2012. Collaborations
have altered since that show with Amanda Shires, and it is the solo mode, which
houses him these days. This latest visit to the UK coincides with the release
of his latest double record, OUT PAST THE WIRES and a few tracks from it were
shared among a string of old favourites.
Rod was certainly in a chipper mood, buoyed by the hotel upgrade
and perhaps at ease in the comforting environment of playing songs to a familiar
audience. Throughout the hour and a quarter stage time, relaxed anecdotes
weaved in between the impassionedly strummed tunes, all wrapped in an
industrial haze. The almost total lopsided tilt away from the happy song
resonates well with serious song writing connoisseurs. There is almost a
precedent of getting ‘Angels and Acrobats’
swiftly out the way, but it long remains a staple of a Rod Picott set and
possesses a strong melody to retain its eminence.
It would be accurate to state that Rod has had some of his
finest song writing moments to date in unison with his long-term pal Slaid
Cleaves. We had an interesting insight to the brilliant and inspirational ‘Broke Down’ this evening with the
revelation of it being in strong consideration for a Dixie Chicks cut in their
heyday. Herein lays the consequence that Travelodge and Premier Inn still
dominate the touring accommodation chat many years later.
Much loved oldies like ‘Welding Burns’ and ‘Rust Belt Fields’ never lose their sheen
and more recent material such as ‘Take
Home Pay’, ‘Primer Gray’ and ‘On the Way Down’ are likely to ascend to
such status given time. Introductions tended to border on the conversational
irreverent rather than informed insights, maybe due to a perception of familiarity
on both sides.
You get the impression that new fans find the work of Rod
Picott as they enter a phase of maturity, not necessarily in age, but definitely
in outlook. A rock solid reliability has been in place for a long time and
trends find this artist rather than vice versa.
Other excellent songs to add to the evening’s enjoyment
included ‘410’, ‘Until I’m Satisfied’ and the spiritually captive ‘Elbow Grease’. There was even time for a
request in the encore slot in ‘Circus
Girl’.
While the latter song referenced a slot opening for Alison
Krauss, the bill this evening was enriched by the East Midlands tones of Paul
McClure. In a familiar and popular style mixing wit and the articulate song,
the warm up slot evolved into its own entity, appreciated by Rod as well as
those wisely choosing the backstreets of Leicester for their Tuesday evening
entertainment. The charity single ‘Baby
That’s You’ rounded off an enjoyable set in true singalong fashion endorsing
the good banter of rivalry.
You do not have to dig too deep to find the synergy between
Paul McClure and Rod Picott; a staunch belief that the magic of song will
ultimately win the day. Our stateside guest is forever appreciative of the
opportunities that have made one dedicated artist able to make a move from a
tough real world job to one which still presents challenges, albeit fruitful
ones to scale. In a year where Sam Baker and Hayes Carll have already crossed
my path in the first quarter, the reassuring compatibility of Rod Picott strengthens
the touring American song writing fraternity considerably.
www.rodpicott.com