Celtic Connections: Bonny Light Horseman
Glasgow St Luke’s - 05/02/23
The name of the band, also the title of a well-known traditional song, gives a clue as to where this band’s interests lie. Its most prominent member, Anaïs Mitchell, is a Grammy and Tony award winning songwriter, long noted for her interest in traditional song. Indeed she acknowledged her debt to the legendary Scottish band, Silly Wizard, much to the mystification of the other members for whom this was an entirely alien reference point. The band is not a vehicle for Mitchell, however, who is happy to take her place as one member of a group that on this occasion was firing on all cylinders in front of a packed St Luke’s.
Although backed by electric bass and drums, this was for the most part a subtle kind of folk rock (they did rock out at least once), with a minimal drum kit and extensive use of hand percussion. The opening number, ‘Lowlands Away’, a ghostly tale, immediately established the band’s musical world, with a backdrop of atmospheric harmonica and electric guitar. Mitchell and Eric D. Johnson shared the bulk of the vocal duties, although they were frequently joined by lead guitarist Josh Kaufman, making for some thrilling three-part harmonies. Kaufman is an exceptional guitarist adding plenty of curlicues and inventive lead lines to the songs.
Mitchell has a very distinctive voice, not a classic folk voice in the Sandy Denny/ Judy Collins mould, but harsher, more lived in. The voice and on occasion some radical melodic re-workings threw fresh light on classics such as ‘Blackwaterside’, ‘Loving Hannah’ and the spiritual ‘Children, Go Where I Send Thee’. Highlights of their own composition were the Jackson Browne-ish ‘Someone to Weep For Me’ and the nostalgic ‘Fleur de Lis’.
Opening what was a very satisfying evening of contemporary folk music was the iron-lunged Canadian, Cat Clyde with a programme of well-crafted three-minute melodramas. Accompanying herself on electric guitar she offered lots of light and shade and sharp observations. Currently on tour in the UK she’ll be back in Glasgow later this month with a full band.