The Apartments, Texas Tea, SueRay @ The Troubadour,Brisbane, 22/06/2007

Tue 26th Jun, 2007 in Gig Reviews

The Troubadour is my kind of venue, and straight away the cosy, lounge-feel interior with it’s abundance of comfy sofas and warm lighting appealed to my late 30’s frame. I was surprised to learn that the venue has only been in existence in its current form for 4 years; it certainly has the feel of a long established club that could possibly have showcased the singer-songwriters of the late 60’s, similar to those cavernous clubs in swinging London that would have been second homes to names such as John Martyn and Ralph Mctell.

And the singer-songwriter tradition is alive and well in Brisbane. The first act, and a regular at this venue was Sue Ray, playing a striking red acoustic guitar and accompanied by cello on various songs. Some nice countrified folk followed, with definite nods to the likes of Chris Isaac and Tracy Chapman. And this was a very pleasant way to kick off the evening, with some nice melodies and heartfelt vocals captivating the small, but growing throng in attendance. She is currently finishing off her second solo EP, and also gigging prolifically with her band Sugartown.

I was suitably chilled by now, and after slipping to the bar for another beer – they weren’t serving hot chocolate – I parked myself in an almost prostrate position in one of the Troubadour’s inviting armchairs. Texas Tea, another local act, are Kate Jacobson and Benjamin P. Dougherty, and are a folk / country act with the emphasis on country. Both artists took on multiple musical roles, utilising vocal, guitar, tambourine, harmonica and piano etc to flesh out some very accomplished song writing. Influences ranged from Johnny Cash on the foot tapping Macy And Me to Neil Young in restrained, acoustic mode on the lovely Whiskey and Wine.

With the venue now near its 200 capacity, four piece band The Apartments took the stage. Originally formed in Brisbane in1978 by Peter Walsh, but disbanding just a year later, Walsh reformed The Apartments in London during the 80’s, gaining moderate success across Europe and in the US. The 21st Century version of the band features members of the 80’s line up, and Walsh (now Sydney based), looked happy to be back on stage again after an absence of many years. Not being that familiar with their music, but very familiar with the music of the early to mid 80’s, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that The Apartments music has stood the test of time. At times they sound like a darker version of Crowded House, but with no less melodic appeal. You can also hear the definite influence of The Birthday Party / Bad Seeds, particularly in the vocals, but thanks to the inclusion of a sunny brass section the songs never become as bleak as those often penned by Mr Cave. The band was very tight, but the music never sounded restrained, retaining a fluency that makes for great pop music. The one track I was familiar with – The Shyest Time – was included on the soundtrack of 80’s love-triangle movie Some Kind of Wonderful, and really sums up the music of that era. This song is pure pop, and memories of first girlfriends, Echo and the Bunnymen and big hair came flooding back.

Even if you weren’t a child of the 80’s like myself, The Apartments are excellent company for a Friday night in the city. Pop music is rarely as good as this in this day and age, and in the capable hands of Mr Walsh and Co you’ll get a rare lesson in how it can be both catchy and credible.