Album Review: Jenny Colquitt - Staring at the Moon

 

www.jennycolquitt.co.uk

Some artists hit the buffers with the second album, while others use the experience to release a record surpassing the heights and promise of the debut. Jenny Colquitt falls into the latter category in the wake of sending out STARING AT THE MOON into a world ready to embrace a blossoming singer-songwriter. You sense in the midst of a seasoned veteran backing their own vocal and writing skills, aided by an optimum production. Ten cinematic tracks widely hit the mark. Colquitt's voice pitches its tone to perfection using a measured approach essential in bringing the best out of songs stacked with lyrical nuggets. 

The independent status of this singer-songwriter from the north-west of England means the songs have to be stern efforts to engineer a ripple in a crowded market. Colquitt immediately sets a high standard subsequently avoiding significant dips. Intermittent peaks pop up with several moments built for a big radio audience or swooning a live crowd in a multiple of staged settings. 

Colquitt has previously released a brace of EPs sandwiching the album SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL that boosted her career in 2021. Live appearances have bubbled away with  festival slots and an evolving road presence Expect this side to grow, now an enhanced canon of songs is in the locker exemplified by 'Fallen Angels', a potential live firecracker with its infectious chorus inducing repeated singalongs. Reaching out to your audience is a trait core to Colquitt's act.

As deduced from the album title and referenced in the notes, the concept of little things in a bigger picture drives the lyrics. Accessing these when listening is a useful aside to marvel at how well Colquitt flexes her literary muscle to furnish finely crafted songs. The theme is taken to its nth degree in the final piece where title track 'Staring at the Moon' lavishly closes in a symphonic wrap. 

Subsequent plays lift 'I Won't Let You Drive' as a mid-album gem to drool over. The tempo may be at its slowest, but the mood induces shivers with the odd vocal spill into the company of Dolly/Whitney. Inspiration for the stunning album opening 'The Bravest of the Brave' will likely be learned in the intimacy of live shows, though you do get a sense of how special 'Isla' is.

Strains of Sinead O'Connor flicker in the opening lines of 'Without You' as the now trademark power ballad evolves. Strings kick in during the song to somehow make the lyrics  more meaningful than on the surface.

The instrumental intro to 'No One Loves Me Like You' has Keane from the mid 2000s written all over it, returning midway to decorate one of the album's more tuneful numbers. The lyrics are a little sparser in 'Dear Me', a serene moment when time is made available to reflect. Piano frequently forms the sonic landscape featuring on the slightly haunting 'For a moment', where an ethereal vocal opening escalates in sync with the tempo. 

'I'm Fading' is a tender offering in the early stages where the vocals find the right pitch to supplement a song blessed with heartfelt pleas pouring from the lyrics. 'My Design' resides in the penultimate slot and rides the crest of a wave from a record in full flow. The song builds to a crescendo with 'this is my design' crying out to re-enforce the message. 

STARING AT THE MOON possesses the craft and vigour to navigate a tough world projecting the artistic qualities of Jenny Colquitt to new levels. The raw credentials and an ability to pierce the listener's inner sphere sow the seeds to make it an instant winner on a micro scale. Justice may not be easily forthcoming, but small wins can accumulate into something bold. Pride in creating a stimulating album is the starting point with horizons broadening as the reach widens. 

Gig Quest: Mary Gauthier- Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Sunday 28th April 2024

www.marygauthier.com

A few eyebrows were raised when this show was announced and unsurprisingly the limited tickets were quickly snapped up. Maybe at this stage of her career, connectivity is driving Mary Gauthier, and there is no finer place to touch your audience’s hearts than the Kitchen Garden. Birmingham doesn’t always feature on the regular UK tour schedule for this esteemed Nashville songwriter but the small was made mighty in the love and affection offered to Mary and Jaimee Harris, the latter opening the show and playing accompanying guitar in the main set. 

Happy place is an increasingly used concept to find fulfilment in an ever crazy world. For some, it’s concrete like the surroundings of a favourite venue, for others it might just be a companionship or state of mind. You sense Mary Gauthier being in her bright zone with a specific focus being the relationship with Jaimee Harris. The spark is forthcoming and a duo status is just a couple of rungs down the billing ladder.The enthusiasm was plain to see and warm to feel as we savoured a pair of sets pushing close to the two hour mark. 

The music of Jaimee Harris has been gaining traction in the UK over the last couple of years to the extent of attracting new faces to a Mary Gauthier show. Instantly, her flamboyant attire drew a gasp and through an half hour opening set we learned a lot about the person- warts and all. Knowing their troubled backgrounds completes the jigsaw puzzle of how they are so good together. This evening we found out what an engaging and blossoming songwriter Harris is. Having an absolute legend close at hand helps, but she possesses so much innate class on her own. 

‘Love is Gonna Come Again’ was the pick of the opening set for its stunning low key effect. ‘The Fair and Dark Haired Lad’ followed one of several stories packed into an informative and enlightening support slot. Many want more Jaimee Harris, though for now she is an important cog of a cherished package.

Songwriting saved Mary Gauthier and she is not one to keep the ability under wraps. For instance, her set opened with ‘The Meadow’, a co-write with the incredibly talented Ben Glover, highlighting the collaborative skills. Gauthier does not limit her shared writing with industry friends as exemplified with the soldier songwriting project from a few years ago. If anything the driver these days is as much about sharing than striving for commercial gain. 

The set was classic Mary Gauthier. ‘Drag Queens In Limousines’, ‘I Drink’, ‘The Last Hobo King’, ‘Mercy Now’ and ‘Another Train’ have breathed life into so many live performances over the years and one more in Birmingham still upped their notch a touch. For me one key highlight was hearing a new song. ‘Some Time’ was written with Vince Gill and inspired by a photo of the iconic 50s train the Orange Blossom Special. The character in the picture yearned for their story to be told and one of the best in the business took up the challenge. 

There were so many interesting asides to the songs that referencing each one would be a mammoth feat. However savouring them first hand in person is the best place to be. We learned this evening of a 25th anniversary commemoration for the classic DRAG QUEENS IN LIMOUSINES album and I’m sure the book is closed on some UK dates celebrating the milestone.

There were advanced reports of book readings from earlier shows. The two shared this evening ran to barely five minutes and coming from her memoir were relevant adding a further literary gloss to a show where words matter.

Both Mary Gauthier and Jaimee Harris were grateful to everyone who bought a ticket, and appeared to thrive in the intimate surroundings of the Kitchen Garden. The performance  epitomised everything attracting you to exceptional songwriting especially which coalesces around Nashville Tennessee. The aurora exposed from such a melded relationship is like few others on the circuit. It was a happy place all round and more explicitly, a truly memorable night to house in the memory vault.