What defines a breakout year? A poignant question when an artist is far from fresh out of the blocks and constantly seeking a conducive channel to pursue. Assembling the profile of Kirsten Adamson's career to date is a piecemeal affair, although the pitfall of 20-22 applied the brakes of any designed quest. A self-titled solo album in 2015 seems a distant episode than current manoeuvres A 2020 duo project with Dave Burn titled The Marriage flickered briefly sending signals of the present direction, though likely derailed before fruition. 2023 is starting to shape up as a potential answer to the starting question with the nuts and bolts tightening a gifted raw package. The first piece is a ear catching new album bringing together loose strands and beginning to frame an innate style. The live presence is rolling away from an insular core and heading down receptive avenues not necessarily swayed by association. Building on what Kirsten Adamson showed tonight in Birmingham will quickly reap rewards. Eventually the initial question will become redundant as a substantive artist will evolve on a sure footing.
How does a musician operate in the shadow of a famous parent? Eventually you have to cast off that shadow, but that may be easier said than done. Kirsten Adamson candidly embraced the music of her late father, Stuart, during lockdown and shared countless Big Country songs to a keen digital audience. You get the impression of this unlocking a new approach and a sense of co-habitation threading through how she portrays her music. The most prominent signal is sent through 'My Father's Songs', the track opening LANDING PLACE, the album that started landing on doormats in February.
The family connection bookended this evening's twin-set performance at the Kitchen Garden with the appropriately titled 2001 song 'Birmingham' kicking things off and the totemic 'In a Big Country' wrapping things up. In between the focus was almost entirely on Kirsten Adamson's status as a recording and performing musician finding its feet in ripening pastures. There was also an up close and personal display of controlled Telecaster, and one-off mandolin, from lead guitar accomplice Jon Mackenzie. Tasty licks were promised and duly served.
The transmission from 2015's indie rock effort to 2023's dip into the world of Americana can be pinpointed to Kirsten Adamson finding her country chord and channelling it from an embedded part of growing up to one flourishing in her output. We got a snippet from the 2020 single 'Let Me Live' that sends you down a Dolly Parton rabbit hole before realising the real thing has surfaced north of the border. We had numerous other examples of cracking the country code from covering Nanci Griffith's 'I Wish it Would Rain' to original efforts that along with Mackenzie's Opry-esque playing cornered and absorbed the Nashville sound.
Weaving in and out of the clear influence is the unmistakable softly sweet Celtic brogue that cements her origin. The line 'from Fife to Tennessee' lifted out of 'My Father's Song' suggests the link in a nutshell.
It's not unusual for artists to test future songs out even in the midst of a new record barely drying. 'The Heart' was trialled this evening with the expected affirmative response. A case of watch this space. We also learned of a quick return to Birmingham with a slot secured on the Kitchen Garden stage at the Moseley Folk Festival in September. A repeat of this healthy turnout should tempt a venue re-booking at an opportune moment.
Although the evening ended on the rousing high of a respectful singalong to a stripped bare anthem, conclusively the space was owned by Kirsten Adamson riding proudly in what may be inscribed as a breakout year for reaching new audiences seduced by her take on a wide reaching style. This was an artist in control, comfortable and embracing a call. There may even be a story to tell one day of how two significant careers aligned.
