The Tallest Man On Earth, Albert Hall Manchester 23rd October 2015 8/10

A key influence on this evening, Bon Iver, was present in Manchester only in spirit. Justin Vernon contributed backing vocals to Phil Cook's new album, Southland Mission, alongside Frazey Ford. Phil modestly described himself as a 'side man', being a member of Megafaun and one of my favourite projects, Hiss Golden Messenger. The solo set was most notable for the fevered guitar playing, and the warm, gently humorous rapport he established with the audience, though I missed the Americana accompaniment of his band. Guitar is also key to Kristian Matsson's sound: classically trained, he changed style after listening to Nick Drake's open tuning in his 20's, which liberated him to concentrate on his vocals. Even so, he switched guitar after virtually every song, allowing him to vary tuning and tone.

 In contrast to Phil Cook's performance, there are five touring members of The Tallest Man On Earth, including the distinctive falsetto of Michael Noyce, who also plays with Bon Iver. The instrumental timbre was rich, including violin, pedal steel, and saxophone. Yet, they always felt like Kristian's backing band. This may have been influenced by my position: my close proximity to the high stage meant that they were out of sight for most of the set, on a platform at the back of the stage. Far from being an anti climax, the moments mid set when he played solo, including Love Is All and The Gardener, were highlights, gaining intensity. His first two albums were largely solo, and it's only on 2015's Dark Bird Is Home that he's embraced a fuller folk rock or chamber pop style.

Kristian sold out this 2500 capacity former Wesleyan Chapel: it's fascinating to consider why his appeal has transcended that of most folk inclined singer songwriters. Absolutely fundamental is an incredible gift for melody: just listen to Slow Dance. Combined with incredible enthusiasm on stage, this gives rise to an uplifting experience, despite the dark lyrics. The new album was influenced by his marriage breakup: Kristian explained:  'I’ve been touring for many years and spent that time romanticizing about my home and a domestic life and when I finally did it, it didn’t really work…'. The record has a fragility as a result of this and the contemporariness death of a close family member, which he refers to as 'stuff' when introducing songs. Yet, this was the 67th date on his current tour, and it seems he's at his most happy whilst taking his music on the road. Kristian's stagecraft has even been compared to Samuel T. Herring of Future Islands, such is the energy, and whenever he wasn't singing, he was moving around the stage. The band's title is ironic, though accurately describing his presence on stage, and the 5 foot 7 inch Kristian dances around lithely.

The lyrics are somewhat opaque, though he often sings of nature. Kristian commented: 'I’m not religious. I guess I’m spiritual in many ways... I’ve always daydreamed about….weird stuff, fun stuff'. This dream like quality is most endearing. His voice is distinctive, and his been compared to early Bob Dylan. Whilst it can sound raw in the studio, I was struck by its lyricism in Manchester. Like Phil Cook, he addressed the audience warmly, but the Swede has a certain awkwardness that is at odds with his extrovert demeanour onstage. This aspect of his personality is reflected more clearly in the solitude he explores in the lyrics, but it's when playing that he really draws in the audience. This was my first time seeing Tallest Man On Earth live, and I was surprised by what an uplifting, celebratory occasion he created. The setlist was generous, lasting close to  two hours, and highlights were numerous. I'll pick out the exquisite Little Nowhere Towns, where Kristian pretended to be 'out of guitars' and played piano, and his guitar duet with Noyce for Where Do My Bluebird Fly. Occasionally I wished for a greater variety of mood, finding the soft rock style slightly cloying, but ultimately the set felt fresh and joyous.

Setlist
Moonshiner
Fields of Our Home
Slow Dance
1904
Singers
Darkness of the Dream
Timothy
Love Is All
The Gardener
Thousand Ways
Sagres
If Only I Could Fly (Blaze Foley cover)
The Wild Hunt
Revelation Blues
Criminals
Little Nowhere Towns
Where Do My Bluebird Fly
King of Spain
Dark Bird is Home

Encore
The Dreamer
Like the Wheel

Frazey Ford, The Crown Ballroom Nantwich, 12th October 2015 8/10

Frazey Ford's only northern UK date on this tour took place in the sleepy market town of Nantwich, Cheshire, in a 400 year old Elizabethan building she described with a smile as 'funky'. Frazey joked about the ancient crooked staircase accessing the ballroom making you feel drunk, and the venue's spirit seemed in keeping with the rootsy music. Introducing the eighth Words and Music Festival, Nigel Stonier urged the audience to turn off their phones and refrain from chatter, asserting: 'we're all about the music'. Yet, with a support as raptly beautiful as Yorkshire's John Elliott, performing as The Little Unsaid, such a request was surely superfluous. Everyone present was utterly silent and attentive throughout, participation taking place on a deep emotional rather than visceral level. The subtlety, relaxed pace, and largely sad subject matter from both acts made this an experience which gradually drew you in, rather than assaulting the senses like fellow Canadian Metric last week.

Opening strongly with Firecracker from her first album, Obidiah, I missed the folksy banjos a little, but the religious connotations in her sometimes opaque lyrics were clear. Frazey's recent influences come from the Southern USA: as she explained last night, as anti-Vietnam War protesters, her parents fled America to a small Russian village in the Kootenays in British Columbia. Years later, Al Green's renowned Hi Rhythm Section from Memphis made contact with Frazey via email: intimidated, she explained that she took a few months to respond. Yet, this collaboration created one of my favourite albums of 2014, blending the folk and acoustic guitar sound of the Be Good Tanyas with blues and southern soul. Some may see parallels with the retro inspiration of Leon Bridges, though he brings more overt energy and drama live. Last night, it took time to appreciate the sensitive, restrained accompaniment, though once adjusted to the more leisurely pace, it's no less engaging.

Others have made comparisons with Cat Power's 2006 album The Greatest, when Chan Marshall also embraced a soul style. Yet, Frazey has an utterly distinctive, charismatic voice, with phrasing and a tone like no other. She stretches syllables, sometimes at the cost of clarity of diction, and with a limited range, but I could listen this soulful sound all day. Despite the almost consistently mournful mood and slow tempo, the ninety minute set felt intimate rather than sleepy. Frazey joked that an Otis Redding Cover was the only upbeat number in the set, and that she found political songs more problematic to write than Bob Dylan, but it was her connection to nature that resonates particularly strongly with me. A highlight was September Fields, one of the more up tempo songs, and a wonderfully nuanced rendition of the title song Indian Ocean, from her second solo album which was performed almost in full. She explained in an interview:  'There’s something about the ocean and tide – getting washed over, letting go, and how things change over time'. Performed with great restraint, this song about nature and journeying felt incredibly soothing.

Frazey's performances undoubtedly have a healing quality. She recounted how recording Weather Pattern with the Hi Rhythm Section helped to bury a 40 year old argument between the brothers about how to play a chord. That idiomatic voice becomes almost hypnotic, and eventually you're forced to succumb to its charm and lay aside your anxieties about life. Attention seeking stagecraft was totally absent; the the warm anecdotes between songs the main extra-musical means of engagement with the audience.  Frazey brought a backing singer, drummer, bass, and guitarist to Nantwich, but in songs such as You're Not Free, I missed the horn and keys which add atmosphere to the album. Yet, it was a deeply satisfying experience, giving credence to the notion music can make you a healthier, kinder person, in the same way as time spent in the wilderness. I cannot agree enough when Frazey described nature as: 'a real solace for me, a source of inspiration and creativity, and grounding,' sentiments which equally apply to her music.

Set List

• Firecracker
• You're Not Free
• Runnin'
• Done
• Three Golden Trees
• September Fields
• Happy Song (Otis Redding Cover)
• Separate
• You Got Religion
• One More Cup of Coffee (Bob Dylan Cover)
• Ootischenia (Be Good Tanyas cover)
• Natural Law
• Weather Pattern
• Blue Streak Mama
• Indian Ocean

Metric, Ritz Manchester, 10th October 2015 6/10

I was initially dismayed when both reviews I found of Metric's UK tour spent more time detailing Emily Haines' outfits than on the music. Yet, after seeing this show, it's clear there was a deliberate effort to explore aesthetics, and her outfit changes were as fundamental as lighting design. The band entered in darkness with animal masks and torches; later Emily wore a peacock tail with lanterns, and for Cascades her bandmates wore LED sunglasses. Some might interpret this as as an attempt to deflect attention from a less than universally acclaimed recent album release. Yet, these efforts extended beyond gimmickry to highly accomplished stagecraft: as a live, theatrical experience, it couldn't be faulted. Emily remarked near the end of the set: 'I hope this helps you with whatever you're dealing with in life'.

Between 2012's Synthetica and the newly released Pagans in Vegas, Emily took time out in Spain and Nicaragua to confront unspecified personal issues. Yet, she spurns Torres' confessional song writing in favour of slick pop escapism, which manifests itself most clearly in upbeat choruses. Some have found their sixth album less exuberant than their earlier work, but this show left any clouds behind to emphasise the upbeat, extrovert aspects. I found the discontinuity with the more profound work of Low earlier in the week difficult to adjust to, and the strong 80's Depeche Mode influences fail to resonate with me. Whilst I haven't reviewed Metric previously, I enjoyed their Synthetica tour at The Troubadour in April 2013 musically more than this one. Whilst that album had greater electronic influences than the breakthrough Fantasies of 2009, in LA indie rock guitar influences were more prominent than the now all-pervasive synths.

Emily's soprano voice was forward in the mix, to match the glossy production. She was constantly moving around the stage, dancing, and engaging the audience charismatically. For me, Metric's extensive experience manifests itself more in the ability to evoke a party atmosphere on stage than in their development in the studio. I found the first encore Empty, from 2005's Live It Out, to have greater musical interest than the formulaic, mechanical recent album; whilst Gold Gun Girls from Fantasies was another highlight. Breathing Underwater made for a moving close, the band leading a singalong from the edge of the stage; of the new songs, The Shade was best received. However, Pagans is the first half of a two part project: the sequel will perhaps receive greater input from Emily than Jimmy Shaw, featuring exclusively analogue instrumentation. I may have found this show less anodyne musically had the tour taken place after both halves of the project were ready.

It seems churlish to criticise such frenetic energy and richly creative visual invention. The atmosphere in the hall as the crowd partied to Celebrate was one of sheer joy, and surely provided therapy to those carrying burdens. Yet, for me, it wasn't an experience to provoke deep questions or emotion: ultimately it proved superficial. If you enjoy Pagans in Vegas, you'll love this tour, as live they cast aside concerns about what one reviewer called a 'shockingly forgettable release'. I may be of Emily's generation, but my musical influences are atypical, and I'm making no value judgement in saying Metric isn't currently quite to my taste. Neither is a much acclaimed band that Metric surely influenced and may have helped to make possible: Chvrches. Don't allow me to discourage you from exploring either of these notable synth pop bands.

Set List

• Lie Lie Lie
• Fortunes
• Help
• Too Bad, So Sad
• Cascades
• Black Sheep
• Collect Call
• Other Side
• Monster
• Synth
• Gold Guns Girls
• The Shade

Encores

• Empty
• Celebrate
• Breathing Underwater

Low, Manchester Cathedral, 7th October 2015 9/10

Addressing the audience fully for the first time at the start of the encores, Alan Sparhawk told us to 'consider ourselves blessed'. In an ancient cathedral, the meaning of this statement depends upon your personal beliefs, but I felt much gratitude for finally experiencing the much loved indie band on the first show of their European tour. The song DJ, from Low's 11th studio album Ones and Sixes asks: 'you want religion, you want assurance, a resurrection, some kind of purpose?'. The aptly named Congregation from this album was omitted last night, but both lyrics and music feel deeply spiritual, the daring minimalism providing a welcome space for contemplation. This musical relationship explores the Mormon couple's relationship with God as much as with each other. Faith helps to explain the project's longevity, providing Low with the confidence to pursue their own, bold aesthetic, without temporal pressure to conform.

Slow, demanding music which shuns commercial compromise is hardly an obvious recipe for success, and in a world of short attention spans it's easy to imagine some might find it languorous. Even Mimi's drum kit is stripped down to the bare essentials to match the simple rhythms; Low is a single-minded, focused act. Austere, their songs 'ring like private prayer to a silent god' as CoS observed. For long periods, it felt like a mediation, and Mimi's harmonisation with her husband sounded incredibly beautiful. However, there's a darker aspect to Low, embodied in the apocalyptic explosions of distortion and noise in Alan's guitar playing. This unease is also expressed through the doom laden undertones in the lyrics, finding strong expression in Pissing from their seminal 2005 album The Great Destroyer, a song about succumbing to temptation.

To understand this more strident aspect of their work, it's important to appreciate Alan's battle with depression: in 2008 at the End of The Road Festival, he abruptly ended the performance by ripping the strings out of his guitar and throwing it into the crowd. The Innocents is literally about the end of time, urging: 'all you innocents, make a run for it': Mormons are perhaps vulnerable to dark, apocalyptic thoughts. Alan explained in an interview: 'sometimes the songs that I’ll write seem to be almost like a snapshot of a moment of confusion or loss of control.' He's in a better place now, and the set had a feeling of a journey towards the light, literally with the encore (That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace from  2002's Trust. There was little conventional audience interaction, but the intensity drew you into their world. In their early days, the crowd would often sit on the floor, and Alan apparently responded to extraneous noise by turning the volume down. There was no such danger in Manchester: everyone listened raptly, the atmosphere akin to Sunday morning Eucharist.

Low has previously supported Radiohead, reflecting their propensity for experimentation, and a willingness to challenge the audience. Ones and Sixes is their first album since 2007 to use drum machines, keyboards and electronics, but has a deep humanity and beauty. This stems from Low's integrity, drawing inspiration from a long term relationship and a sincerely held faith. Their authenticity aids the emotional connection, and in singing:  'What part of me don’t you know?' they're addressing not only their own marriage, but the audience's relationship to the band. Furthermore, the entire set was performed with an exquisite ear for detail, creating a taut, emotive atmosphere. As anyone classically trained will appreciate, it's  challenging to perform slow and quiet music, but Low has showed sensitivity and restraint. Live, the dynamic range between serenity and thunderous climaxes felt even more intense than in the studio, and the pace even more daringly measured. Low is gloriously idiosyncratic, a one-off in Indie music which rightly inspires such devotion.

Set List

• Gentle
• No Comprendre
• Kid In The Corner
• The Innocents
• Plastic Cup (The Invisible Way)
• On My Own (The Invisible Way)
• Point Of Disgust (Trust)
• Monkey (The Great Destroyer)
• Spanish Translation
• Lies
• Into You
• Pissing (The Great Destroyer)
• DJ
• What Part of Me
• Will The Night (Songs For A Dead Pilot EP)
• Landslide
• That's How You Sing Amazing Grace (Encore from Trust)
• When I Go Deaf (Encore from The Great Destroyer)

Lady Lamb, Castle Hotel Manchester, 1st October 2015 9/10

Aly Spaltro's an introvert, so there was little chatter with the audience last night, despite the intimate venue, and at times her eyes were closed as she lost herself in the music. Yet, she also looked into the crowd, and as Lady Lamb, the 25 year old from Maine has astonishing impact. I've been a fan of her studio work since discovering 2013's Ripely Pine, but I was taken aback by the power of her live performance. The writing is often dense, the songs extended, and the atmosphere intense, but Lady Lamb has a directness and honesty that is disarming. She released her first home made CD in 2007, and her experience was evident in the note perfect performance. Like Waxahatchee, she's unpretentious, but the power of Aly's voice belies her stature, and grungy guitar interludes set up a tension with the more intimate moments.

Aly's a talented multi-instrumentalist, tracking guitars, bass, banjos and keys in the studio for After, whilst a friend played drums. On tour though, Lady Lamb's a trio, with a two piece rhythm section, and whilst I occasionally missed the luxury of horns and strings, the spirit of the album was skilfully captured. In fact, at times her band mates Alex and Amos seemed dispensable: the two mid set solo songs were the set's emotional heart. I was particularly moved by Sunday Shoes, despite the knowledge that the tribute to a sister who passed away is fictional, The close, when she sings that after death 'you will become your most favourite colour' is so beautiful. Another arresting line, in the more catchy, extrovert Billions of Eyes, 'my great grandmothers' sister was deemed a saint', is in fact true, and reflects Aly's Italian Catholic heritage.

Religion is a recurring theme in the lyrics, reflecting her childhood, and whilst now sceptical, Aly explained in an interview: 'I’m intrigued by our need as humans to have hope in something and have faith in something. That sort of yearning for answer and yearning for love that is in religion'. Her use of imagery, whether from The Bible or the result of thoughts she writes when half asleep is powerful; indeed the moniker Lady Lamb came to her in a dream. Aly's mentioned Neutral Milk Hotel as an influence, which sometimes manifests itself in the psychedelic aspects to the words, the eclectic instrumentation, and more generally in a most welcome quirkiness. Her writing has real depth, rewarding repeated listening; I was grateful for her clear enunciation which allows appreciation of the poetry, and above all that she has the confidence to be herself.

The title After references a break-up, and Milk Duds is poignant, yet my memory of the gig is one of energy and joy. This song was preceded by two up-tempo songs from After: Billions of Eyes and Dear Arkansas Daughter, which both illustrate the development of melodic hooks in her writing (though I missed the catchy Penny Licks, which she performed in London). Aly's sensitivity for light and shade, and the varying of tempo and instrumentation made for a nuanced set. The combination of the dreamy, ethereal elements, and explosions of raw emotion were thrillingly unpredictable. I could have listened to such a ferocious, emotional live performance for far longer than an hour, but at least I now have the two studio albums on repeat. Lady Lamb's made it onto my 'not to be missed' list.

Set List

• You Are The Apple
• Billions of Eyes
• Dear Arkansas Daughter
• Milk Duds
• Sunday Shoes (acoustic)
• The Nothing Part II (acoustic)
• Bird Balloons
• Aubergine
• Batter 
• Spat Out Spit
• Crane Your Neck
• Ten