Death Songbook – Brett Anderson

The Festival of Voice/Gwyl y Llais was established in 2016 it’s Cardiff’s annual festival and is held at the magnificent Wales Millenium Centre, Butetown.

This year The Festival of Voice has been rebranded as Llais, meaning ‘voice’ (the English name of the festival has been dropped). The 5-day festival is like no other, it offers a real mix of events, free and ticketed, immersive art, and a celebration of internationally acclaimed artists through a range of live, exciting, diverse music.

I arrived at the Donald Gordon Stage just as the combined choir of Cwmdare Voices and Pelenna Valley Male Voice started their performance of classics, if you’ve never seen a Welsh Male Voice Choir perform live, then sort yourself out and go see one! Oh my days, your soul will be filled with pleasure and forever thankful it had the experience. Not wanting to sound biased
but nobody does it better than the Welsh – fact!

I was beyond thrilled to be seeing Brett Anderson (need I say, Suede frontman) perform something new after what seemed like forever. He was joined on stage by Charles Hazelwood
and the Paraorchestra, for the first live performance of Death Songbook, reimagined and repumped cover versions of songs that I’ve grown up listening to, with a special guest
performance by Mercury Prize nominee, Gwenno.

Nothing had prepared me for the beauty of the performance, to say it was magical would be an understatement, my heart and head were filled with musical joy, melancholy, and nostalgia.
Kicking off the performance with Killing Moon really set the tone, I was captivated and overjoyed, right through to the last note of ‘Wonderful Life’.

I was completely amazed and overwhelmed with emotion listening to the first-ever performance of Brutal Lover, a truly beautiful song. Gwenno’s unique voice on ‘End of the World’ ‘Holes’ and ‘Enjoy the Silence’ combined with Brett Andersons’ vocals was a smooth union of sound.

I had never heard of the Paraorchestra before last night, they sounded phenomenal, they are incredible musicians, and the sound they created suited the songs to perfection. Charlie
Hazelwood described them as a ‘new breed’. This beautiful concert was so well directed and produced by a bodywork of professionals, I felt like I was experiencing something really special, it felt like a new era and gave me feelings of elation, joy, melancholy, and nostalgia.

I’m not a fan of cover versions and on my way to WMC I wondered how some of the songs would sound, particularly as the original artists, David Bowie/Jaques Brel, Japan, Depeche
Mode, Mercury Revs, Echo and the Bunnymen, Skeeter Davis (all pretty big shoes to fill) are icons and all performed their songs as only they can, they’re classics, I really enjoyed listening to them but not in the way that I heard them last night, the new arrangements and performance stirred me up inside and moved me. The songs have now taken on a very different meaning to me like I was listening to them for the first time. The song choices suited Brett’s voice to perfection.

Death Songbook reminds us that through songs about death, the death of love, and the loss of our loved ones, music is our comforter, our greatest friend in dark, bleak times, it soothes,
nourishes, and uplifts us, during our deepest sorrow.

Thank you Brett and everyone involved in the performance and production. I await an official release of this beautiful music, preferably on vinyl!

Within the basement of the evergreen Exchange in Bristol lied a fabulous evening and an important fundraiser. Krapka;Koma from Lviv, Ukraine are on tour, with a stop in Bristol along with some lovely warm up acts, adding to the female led fun.

From London, Cholly started off the night with sweet vocals and an electronic sound hard to resist. With remixes of her cat and some keyboard tricks, she made for a fine opening act of electro pop. Pixi Ink, who has been on tour also, followed with a singing on a resplendent level, awash in it’s soulful luxury. Triphop might just be a new favourite genre for me. Even before the main line up I was really taken with these two artists.

Becky Boo was the VJ for the whole night, adding saturated layers of 90s CGI, cartoons and a vaporwave breeze. Along with the ethereal music, the video work really added an extra dimension to this intimate affair. The weight of the headlines act was felt by everyone present, musicians form Ukraine who are on tour as their country is plagued in war.

Billed as being further trip hop, jazz and electronica, this fitting billing could only affirm the the joy of their music making. How touching it was to see both these marvellous musicians create live music on stage in Bristol, the catchy and softly perfumed sounds filling the space. Even some additional brass was a real nice touch, bass lines and a electric pad drum kit also added to the pot, in their laid back fibre. I didn’t expect their set to be filled with just the right amount of feel good vibes that I think we all need at this harsh corner in our lives. Need I say more?

After their tour and Sofar Sounds concert, we hope a gig in their homeland can be real soon.

(5 / 5)

It would be my last night in Manchester where I made the discovery of Will Pound and Jenn Butterworth. This folk duo are doing the rounds on tour and my love for them has grown thanks to this lovely concert they gave in the intimate Carole Nash Hall within Stoller Hall.

It is their mix of harmonica, vocals and guitar that make them so endearing. Be it folk proper, sea shanties or country songs, their talents shine forth. A smattering of feminist folk songs stood out, Jenn being cheeky and removing some problematic elements from others songs (a cautious decision I didn’t really mind) , yet still kept up the earthy, thrilling ride. Will was showing off the only bass harmonica in the world, whilst proving his money’s worth through fabulous playing. Jenn with lush vocals and stirring guitar playing, both musicians a wonderful mix, the delight of this Sunday night.

After viral success on Tik Tok, they seem to be reaching new heights thanks to new audiences. The whole thing just felt very accessible and had an easy going quality I often enjoy in the concert environment. I should see more folk events, if they are as good as this. It’s rare to find a duo who seem to really understand one another, their cheery personalities also on show. It is the spirit of the British Isles that lives in these two, along with the fire of European nations, since we were also treated to music from Spain and elsewhere. This of course, gave Will the chance to show off his diatonic accordion, a sweet and acute instrument known by different names in different lands.

These two gave me the spirit to say goodbye to Manchester and to head home to Wales.

Will Pound and Jenn Butterworth continue on tour around the UK till 21 November 2022.

(4 / 5)

A return to London for William Basinski was just what I’ve needed. This American composer has made good old fashioned reel to reel tape as the basis of his craft. More specifically, the deterioration when the tape is compromised due to a varying combination of factors is his USP (chance, the age of the tech and temperature as examples). His art will be forever interlinked with the events of 9/11, as some attempt to salvage archival work occurred on that fateful day.  

Arriving on stage, Basinski was flaming, singing show tunes and unable to grasp he was performing at the Barbican. Starting with his Lamentations from 2020, he declared that “war is on the way”, as the now everywhere colours of the Ukraine flag flooded the stage. Even in this newer work, his tape addiction never stops. There were some exquisite moments here. Anyone not into minimalism and an equal amount of patience would struggle with his ideas. Though those who commit are treated to a fine ambient encounter. Some sample of a stunning female singer makes you crave the source. It remains very haunting, other exuberant moments fill the space with a somber joy, yearning regrets within others. He appears to still have the magic about him!

Two orchestral arrangements of his Disintegration Loops filled the second half. Basinski has shared the context of this piece and it’s relationship with 9/11 many times. The London Contemporary Orchestra took on these damaged pieces with benevolence for the listener. No. 3 of the loops is quite serene, a feeling of calm washes over you, as it continues to repeat and repeat. Conductor Robert Ames helps the statue like dynamic along, leading shortly after in the iconic No.1.1 of the loops. There is a slight change to the snippet of a melody which haunts the first loop (we assume it’s brass on the original). The brass here players keep the structure going, as the notes gradually go into the ether. The two percussionists relentlessly shone, keeping the subtlety on course, as the other musicians wrapped up. The addition of humming was a nice touch at the start and end, though mics would have gone a long way.      

All that was missing was Basinski’s video work which accompanies the loops. Still a fun, revelatory evening. 

(3 / 5)

One of the fond memories of the brief window of live performance in 2020 was Catrin Finch with the Columbian band Cimarrón. Welsh harpist Catrin seems to hold the whole world in her hands, with a versatility in essentially any genre of music. Knowing her from classical circles, her time with Cimmarrón made for a sizzling and dazzling concert, something I haven’t forgotten in a hurry.

A duet with Seckou Keita from Senegal is another giant leap in taste and mileage. Keita, who plays the kora (a large string instrument made from a giant root vegetable) beams for most of the night, his vibrant energy on full display. Catrin, ever the wry talent, gave humour in speech and simply beautiful playing on her large harp. Together, Wales and Senegal does not seem that far apart, the break down of musical cultures dropping with a huge reverb, its sound a towering influence over the night.

I’ll confess the music here is on a more chilled level, a breezy ambience that never lets up. I found myself craving something with more of a meaty bite, though the eloquence of both players never wained. The kora is a rather subtle instrument, somewhere between a harp, guitar and the strings of a piano. They usually played in harmony, each instrument clear during these moments.

Seckou also shared insights from his country, the idea of the children’s rite of a “standing stick” was amazing. A frustrating moment came later when his mic fell and not a single technician came to assist him. Along with Catrin’s deadpan, they made quite a comedy double, as well as musical bed fellows. The unending, shameless amount of plugs to their new CD started to get absurd as the night went on.

We really should place bets for where Catrin goes globally and who she plays with next. Her journey remains quite the adventure.