More than a few brave music lovers (and possible non-footy lovers?!) made the right decision to curl up in the East Brunswick Club on this chilly Grand Final evening, after a long day of footy chaos. A much larger crowd would have turned up, if it weren’t for the day of madness that had just occurred. But, Sophie Koh was grateful to see some people in the audience, as she thanked everyone for showing up despite the obvious tiredness that glazed down upon everyone’s faces.
Nonetheless, three fabulous folk acts took the stage that night to prove to us once again that there’s much more to Melbourne than football. And the wonderfully mellow tunes offered a perfect chilled-out atmosphere for a room full of exhausted Melbournites.
To start the evening off, Dublin-born folk singer-songwriter, Jeff May graced the stage while strumming percussively on his acoustic guitar and singing heartfelt songs about love, lust, and longing. Without trying to emphasize a clichéd comparison, Jeff’s vocals showed a hint of another Jeff…Mr. Jeff Buckley to be exact, mixed in with fellow Irishman Damien Rice, and a slight hint of Canadian crooner, Ron Sexsmith. Overall, his talented vocal skills were enough alone to silence the crowd and make them listen.
Next up was the mysteriously unique Aussie, Grand Salvo, with his itty-bitty guitar in hand. Along with an ever-so-gentle strumming of his acoustic guitar, Grand sang songs with themes of wildlife, death, and tragedy, including one depressing ditty about sour milk and a dead cat. Regardless of the sorrowful feelings that his songs illuminate, Grand kept the audience’s attention with his clever lyrics and charming dixieland whistles.
A brief intermission allowed enough time to get Sophie’s band set-up and sound-checked, and then the quartet flowed right into their sweet sounds. My silent expectations for catchy pop tunes were quickly altered once Sophie hit her first note. Not only is this folk goddess elegantly beautiful, but her voice carries through a room with sweetness and grace. And to add to it, her multi-talented back-up band carries a tight rhythm through each tune from start to finish.
With Tim Reid on guitar, vocals and effects, Ivan Jakic on bass and vocals, and Phil Collings on drums and vocals, Sophie’s complete band sound is a soulful blend of folk, trip-hop, and pop. The opening track of the evening was one of the highlights for me, as Sophie chanted the words to The Objects In This Mirror, from her August ‘08 release, All Shook Up amongst a unique array of drums, keys, and maracas.
Proving her multi-talented musical abilities, Sophie, who is of Malaysian decent, but was raised in New Zealand, switched between piano, guitar, the occasional egg shaker, and even an impressive bout on the harmonica. She soothed through her new “hit” song, Anywhere, which she informed us was her friend’s wedding waltz earlier this year. Then came Easily Broken, the exact track that “Unearthed” her in 2003, and was re-recorded with the help of Triple J in 2005 for her debut album, All The Pretty Boys.
Throughout Sophie’s set, it was hard not to pick up on the obvious influences from fellow female singer-songwriters such as Tori Amos, Holly Throsby, and Sarah McLachlan, as she pounded the ivories during a beautiful rendition of Threnody, which is also off her new album.
As I began to feel a bit uneasy about her uncanny Tori-esque piano playing, Sophie decided to strap her guitar back on to perform Honey I will Buy You A Mercedes Benz, which really made me wonder if she’s ever heard Janis Joplin’s version with nearly the same name. Regardless of these too-close-for-comfort resemblances or possible fluke coincidences, Sophie’s beautiful vocals still stood out on their own with her unique trip-hop sounds and Chinese-influenced moans.
To complete the night, Sophie and the band played a cover of a famous Chinese folk song from the 50s, entitled Gan Lan Shu, which translates into “Olive Tree.” She described her memories of hearing the original song as a young child, and the meaning that it has to her now. The poetic Chinese lyrics ask, “Why are you such a wanderer?” Sophie informed us that she feels a close affinity to these lyrics, as she has moved around from place to place throughout her life.
For now, Sophie seems to fit in quite nicely to Melbourne’s indie folk scene, which, in my opinion, is right where she belongs. I just hope she stays clear away from trying to sound too pop, or too Tori. Either way, Sophie Koh’s got miles ahead of her. With two albums under her belt, and a national tour in the works, I’m excited to witness this lady’s growth in the next few years to come.
