Josh Pyke @ The Vanguard,Sydney (28/06/11)

Thu 30th Jun, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Invite only album launches can suffer from having too many people more interested in making connections with industry contacts, finger food and swanning about quaffing champagne; but tonight the skewered calamari and sparrow themed cocktails were quickly ignored as the lights dimmed and Andy Kelly from Ivy League records takes the stage to talk.

He is, of course, there to talk about Josh Pyke and his forthcoming record Only Sparrows. Things are kept brief, with reminders to those in radio to spin his new single and a few words about Pyke’s evolving sound. Thankfully he doesn’t mince too many words and Josh is brought out on stage in front of his three piece band.

The Vanguard’s rich atmosphere seems a perfect venue for Josh Pyke. The room is elegant enough to for his pretty music, but old and dusty enough that beefing up his sound with a full drum kit and guitar feedback doesn’t feel out of place. The new sound Andy Kelly had been alluded to was evident in the ambient electronic intro that builds up before Pyke and co. start to layer their sounds together for Clovis’ Son.

The new tracks on display seem to be lush with sound, the melodica makes an appearance on a few tracks and electric guitars spiral and swoon, but it’s still Josh’s voice and acoustic guitar playing that is the star of the show. Loud and clear in a nicely even mix, his voice is strong and melodic as he effortlessly controls it with the same authority he has over his skilful guitar picking.

Most impressive is how cohesively Josh and his band gel together. Good Head Start see’s them playing what may be one of Pyke’s most straightforward rock songs as tight as a band that have been playing together for years. Drummer Josh Shuberth provides beautiful vocal harmonies along with his commanding drums and member’s Russell Crawford and Matt Fell swap between guitars, bass and keys without blinking an eye.

Josh’s banter between songs in his short set was cheeky and his enthusiasm for his new songs was infectious, with the audience moving closer and closer to the small stage. Current single No One Want’s a Lover added some familiarity to a set bare of many of his well known songs, but it is Particles that steals the night. Its dark melodies and booming piano chords resonate with drama and it seems to be bigger sonically than any song Pyke has played before as the sounds fills The Vanguard.

Still, it is not until Make you Happy and Middle of the Hill appear at the end of his set that you truley realise how much fuller Josh’s new songs are. The risks he has taken with his song writing have rewarded him more dynamics to play with live and Josh and his band seem so comfortable and captivating playing around with them that an eight song set seems criminally short.