Home Grown Roots Volume 2 @The Vanguard (21/08/07)

Fri 24th Aug, 2007 in Gig Reviews

Foghorn Records introduced the inaugural Home Grown Roots compilation last year – a diverse collection of up-and-coming Aussie strummers, pickers, folkies, blues ramblers, reggae renegades and just all-round rootsy-type musos. This year they’re back with Home Grown Roots 2, and the good people of the Vanguard kindly set aside a Tuesday evening to showcase some of the artists from the new CD.

As diners at the Vanguard settle down to dinner, the aperitif arrives in the form of Doug Sandrini. His opener introduces a soulful voice that builds up into a room-filling, angsty howl. As his muscular, rhythmic strumming builds in strength, the diners eventually give up on trying to talk over the top of him. Ending his song with a bang, he’s given the enthusiastic applause he deserves. His softer songs are rather less compelling – he sings with the breathy urgency of say, Mick Hart, without the jaw-dropping vocal range. Still, he delivers a strong set of songs, getting the crowd in the mood.

An older troubadour, Tim Walker, takes the stage next. His sleepy, plodding folk songs fail to elicit much response from the audience. Even so, with vaguely evocative songs about early Sydney’s bootleg liquor trade and a quietly haunting song about an Aboriginal view of Colonial expansion, he’s arguably the most authentic roots artist on the bill.

Daxton restores some much-needed energy to the evening – he even stands up. He comes across as an appealing larrikin with a good sense of humour. He has a lovely, rich, powerful growl – the kind of voice that every bloke would secretly like to have. If by the time his big ballad Shine A Light (from the new CD) came around, things were starting to go borderline-Daughtry, a good whack of stomping Red Blooded Man country-blues rights things pretty quick. It’s clear this is more like the stuff the audience came to see!

Next we’re given a break from the lone wolf singer/songwriter. Singer/guitarist Ben Marshall arrives with his band – including Tanya, an appealingly exuberant harmony singer. By this time the audience has swelled considerably, and when they break into their foot-tapping reggae rhythms and sing their uni-student protest songs with a kind of pleasant convincingness, the feel-good factor at the Vanguard kicks up a fair notch. Their second song breaks out an infectious, jazzy groove and is a real gem. While a few moments fall flat, Ben and his band clearly have a great time on stage with each other.

The penultimate act of the night is the Jesse Morris Band. Naturally, Mr. Jesse Morris is front-and-centre, a singer/guitarist with an everyman blues/roots voice. The most interesting element though is the presence of Lucille Wilson – vocalist, flautist and violinist. Now, I’m a sucker for bands with violins and/or flutes in them, but it’s fair to say the Jess Morris Band have a solid, unique – although still very much acoustic-guitar driven sound – and they’re the tightest band of the night -well-honed, comfortable and professional. Sharp and rhythm-driven, with a fine drummer mixing in electric pads and hand-drums, these guys offer an enjoyable change of pace and a slightly darker tone. Lucille’s plugged-in violin has a great, cutting sound, somewhere between a sweet murmur and an electric snarl, and Jesse is a confident frontman.

By 11 the last crème brulee has been cracked and the audience is thinning out. Those of us who’ve gone the distance are treated to another of the true stars of the Home Grown compilation.

Leroy Lee is a young Sydney lad with a lot of promise – he was handpicked by Missy Higgins from the latest crop of Unearthed artists to accompany her on last tour. He slinks on stage, a barefoot and weedy figure with a quiet, nervous speaking voice that belies his talents. A gifted songwriter, his songs have complex, wandering structures, held together by his insistent foot tapping – his detailed melodies are lovely and surprising. And, as is quickly apparent during his half-hour set, Mr. Lee is a fine, fine guitarist. He picks and slides with the kind of skill we haven’t seen tonight until now, filling out his sound with judicious use of a delay pedal. And when he busts out some fat, stomping, Delta steel blues, the post-dinner crowd are roused back into life, stomping and clapping along admiringly. Having heard his Paper Sleeve EP I can say his voice wasn’t at its best at The Vanguard, but his guitar playing won the night – it just wouldn’t have been a truly satisfying roots night without it. With an album on the way, Leroy Lee is one to watch. For now, his contribution to Home Grown Roots Volume 2, Drawing Smoke is a wonderful introduction.