As the two-year anniversary of discovering the music of
Caroline Spence approaches, it is worth reflecting on her steady ascent to
becoming a wider recognised and respected artist. This is especially pertinent to
the UK, which seemed a distant place when a copy of the album Spades and Roses
inadvertently crossed my path via a US press agency in early 2017. Eventually, opportunities
gathered momentum and the album in an intended pursuit found its way across the
seas, soon to be followed by a number of touring visits. Since an initial run
of touring dates last February, she followed things up in partnership with
Robbie Hecht in the summer; a trip that also took in higher profile festival
slots at End of the Road and Long Road.
On the back of a Midlands show at Thimblemill Library during
the first tour, and calling in at the nearby Kitchen Garden with Robbie in
August, Caroline made a return to the latter this evening to bridge the gap between
appearances at Celtic Connections and the AMA UK showcases in London. The big
news accompanying this Nashville resident-Virginia native on the latest trip is
the recent revelation of a new record due out soon, with the added boost of it
getting a label release via the Rounder Records operation.
One consistency linking these developments is the high
quality of the music, coupled with its distinct approach to bring southern sensibility
to the broader brush of quintessential American folk music. Foremost Caroline
Spence thrives as a folk singer steeped in Americana, dedicated to the acoustic
guitar and sparked to conjure up the most compelling of songs, all delivered
through a delicately hushed voice.
Across a pair of sets afforded to Caroline this evening, the
bulk of songs off Spades and Roses made the set list, along with a smattering
of tunes reflecting the distant past, near past and imminent future. However,
before the main event we had the honour of a short set by another Nashville
singer-songwriter Michaela Anne, who had little hesitation in joining her
friend on a rare chance to play a joint show, albeit 4000 miles from their home
city.
Michaela Anne is another artist no stranger to Birmingham audiences
after opening for Sam Outlaw at the neighbouring Hare and Hounds in 2017. In
contrast to Caroline, she takes her cue from a traditional country outlook and
successfully blends a timeless approach in a steely contemporary wrapping.
Further contrasts exist in Michaela Anne using the subtle tones of a gently
strummed electric guitar. While her songs are less familiar than Caroline’s,
numbers like ‘Luisa’, ‘Stars’ and ‘One Love Song’, the latter originally recorded as a duet with Sam
Outlaw, came across exceptionally well in a tight schedule to open proceedings.
More will likely be heard of Michaela over here in the future, one that
includes an upcoming new album and a support slot opening for Mandolin Orange
on a UK tour date.
Inevitably, this was not the last we heard of Michaela Anne
as the opportunity for the two to team up for a duet was too good to miss. The
obvious song had to be ‘Softball’, as
Michaela was one of several female artists enlisted for the making of the track’s
striking video, which further forced home the important message. More
surprising, but no less welcome, was the impromptu rendition of ‘Passionate Kisses’ as the delightful
parting gift to an audience thoroughly entertained throughout the evening.
It may be early days to associate Caroline Spence with the
likes of Lucinda Williams and Mary Chapin Carpenter, but there is a strong
indication that she possesses the writing talent to travel a long way down the song
highway.
From the songs shared this evening, few crossed the floor
from performer to listener more evocatively than the immaculate ‘All the Beds I’ve Made’ and the
infectious ‘Slow Dancer’. Close on
the heels of this pair were the emotional ‘Southern
Accident’ and the rejuvenated ‘Hotel
Amarillo’, the latter with the freshened up intro courtesy of Robbie Hecht.
On the topic of Robbie Hecht, ‘Trying’ (a song they co-wrote) headed a quartet of numbers away
from the Spades and Roses album, a record still sounding as good as when first
heard two years ago. ‘Whiskey Watered
Down’ from an older album surfaced as a request, and Caroline was not going
to let the night pass without sharing the two new songs that previewed the
upcoming album. Of the pairing ‘Long Haul’
and ‘Mint Condition’, the former made
the greater initial impression, but her songs have enough depth to develop and
grow once subject to devoted listens.
Of the remaining tracks enjoyed during the show, ‘Heart of Somebody’ and ‘Wishing Well’ had the honour of
opening each set. From memory the former has been the opener on each time seen,
which sometimes is not the best slot for a song. ‘You Don’t Look So Good (Cocaine)’ and ‘I Can’t Complain’ completed the song set. The latter had the introduction
of being an optimistic piece grateful for making a living as a
singer-songwriter.
As a performer, Caroline Spence’s assuredness grows with
each gig seen. The fruits of Spades and Roses sealed the deal as an effective
songwriter and the development as a touring artist has been an added bonus. The
settling of the dust on this successful revisit to the Kitchen Garden is likely
to be a temporary zone, as a return to support and promote the new album means
the UK is set to see a lot more of Caroline Spence in 2019. There are few
complaints here.
www.carolinespencemusic.com
www.michaelaanne.com
