Wednesday 19th April 06 - The Peasants, The Blackouts and The Landaus at Quayside Quintessential Sessions (1/2) By Michelle Dee

(1/2), (2/2)

It was only a week ago when I met The Peasants for the first time but I had heard them being played by Alan on Raw Talent a month or two back. Also Steve Rudd had reviewed their CD on this site and as often happens round these parts I had been bumping into Jody, singer for The Peasants, regularly on the Avenues. Tonight, I was determined to see them. I arrived at Quayside full of cold clutching a box of tissues.

The friendly staff made me a cup of sweet tea and I sat down to prepare for tonight's live entertainment. After a brief sound check I spoke with both The Peasants and The Blackouts about their recent achievements and future plans.

The Peasants Jody McKenna and Dave Saxby are a two man guitar outfit who create beautiful well crafted acoustic numbers. Their first number tonight is reminiscent of Neil Young; clean notes, full and rounded, with over laying top notes simple and effective. Jody's vocal style is unusual and harks back to times past, of busking and cheap beer. His lyrics are immediate and tell real stories that are grounded in poetic poignancy.

He deals with weighty subjects within the magical melodies, heroin abuse, hope, spirituality. In one song he asks of the man upstairs if He was here don't you think He'd help...as trills of electric sound float from the stage yearning and mournful. The simplicity and clarity of diction of the songs makes them memorable and intense. Listening to Jody and Dave you find yourself reflecting on your own life of the good and bad times that you have shared with loved ones.

The Peasants continue to share their stories with a small but captivated audience, receiving just applause after each and every number. A change of mood comes when the finger picking changes to strumming during The Only Way. A series of well chosen rhythmic couplets and the line only way to quote the phrase unique is to be individual...a sentiment that resounds heavily for me.

The two musicians appear relaxed on stage laidback and easy going, no pretences, letting their music do the talking. I can see them playing some moving gigs in the more cultured venues of the city perhaps in candlelight perhaps open air. During a song called Spotlight a few of the Peasants' fans sing along adding their soprano voices to Jody's tenor, to create a feeling of warmth and unity.

Just before the finale the duo cover Neil Young's Hey hey my my that has a few more singing the choruses, me included. I spent three years living opposite a huge Neil Young fan who used to play this song and many others aside a big campfire drinking long into the night. For a short time I found myself transported back to that time of endless possibility and moonlit music by the Humber, such was the power of The Peasants rendition. Then all too soon they come to their last number Inside Your Soul that takes in Bob Dylan in structure and Roy Harper in voice.

Heads nod and feet tap during the tongue in cheek homage to the US Protest singer. After their set I heard Jody being described as Bob Dylan and Philip Larkin rolled into one by one young lady. In this year of singer/songwriters, I think we are going to hear a lot more from these young acousticians. They kindly furnished me with a copy of their 17 track album Champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget. The disc included some of the songs from the live performance and some new ones in a similar vein.

Continued.... Next Page (2/2)

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