Bowerbirds – The Borderline, London 26/05/09

“Not many people have beards in Britain. I mean, back home everyone I know has a beard. Everyone in my band has a beard. Everyone in my other band has a beard. But you get to England and then….no beards”. Gig goers of the UK, you have been warned by sometime Bowerbirds member, and full time Megafaun Brad Cook to get your hair folicles back to work. He has a point- the crowd tonight is decidedly unhairy, a surprise given that Bowerbirds play the kind of delicate fusion of folk and americana that normally brings out the facially fuzzy in their droves. But I digress.

When you have a novelty band name based around the names of members of your band, it must be hard to take when one of said name members decides to call it quits. Take pity then on Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam band with Tim and Sam. Perhaps they will just be called Tim from now on. Pleasant enough for the first few songs, Tim and the other members ply a fine line in pastoral folk post rock somewhat akin to Midlake let loose on Explosion in The Sky’s toybox. Frontman Tim layers loops of his acoustic guitar, making for a dense,all be it slightly twee sound. However, after a while, the limitations of only having a certain amount of loop time become apparent and the guitar lines get over repetitive. Part of TASTASBWTAS’ problem is that there is not quite enough going on musically to justify being an instrumental act- a fact that the band may perhaps realise themselves, as frequently Tim’s guitar picks out a clear vocal melody line over his layered guitars. There is some talk of recruiting guest vocalists in the future, a prospect which may yet move the band forward to brighter pastures.

All the way from Australia, Oliver Mann is an interesting prospect. An operatically trained Baritone accompanying himself on sparse parlour-style guitar he comes on like the missing link between Tindersticks’ Stuart Staples and Bryn Terfel. When the first notes come from his mouth there is an audible gasp from the crowd, a note of shock at the sounds coming from within Mann’s chest. Joined by the Dirty Three’s Jim White on his most recent album, tonight is a more stripped down affair, and unfortunately a somewhat confused Borderline crowd seem unsure how to take his unusual voice and arrangements. For those who made the effort there was some uncomfortably desolate things to listen to. That is not to say Mann is without a sense of humour, a fact he demonstrates ably when he says “I’m going to pick things up a bit. Let’s face it, it shouldn’t be hard.” Late in the set, a song about visiting China then getting busted with a load of smack, landing up in jail and then escaping thanks to a pair of leather shoes is a lyrical treat for those who have bothered to keep listening.

When Bowerbirds finally take the stage, they look tired. Due to some strange tour booking they find themselves in London for a one off UK date sandwiched between shows in Paris and Nantes, facing a 10 hour drive after the nights show. As soon as the first notes of “Hooves” kick in however, things are as they should be, Phil Moore’s delicate nylon guitar lines framing the lilting harmonies between himself and partner Beth Tacular. Having parted company with multi-instrumentalist Mark Paulson the band are joined tonight by the aforementioned Brad Cook on bass and Matt Damron on drums. Showcasing the majority of upcoming release “Upper Air” it is clear the band have moved on from the rawer, minimal arrangements that graced debut “Hymns For A Dark Horse”. Gone, for the most part, are the songs based around Moore’s intricately picked acoustic guitar parts, replaced by a more strummed style. Of the new material, “Beneath Your Tree” is a real highlight, Tacular and Moore’s vocals combining beautifully with the accordion. It takes some talent to make the phrase “gnarly thicket” sound magical, but somehow they manage to pull it off.

In places the addition of a full band doesn’t quite suit the Bowerbirds sound, and the abscense of Paulson’s violin is to the detriment of “Dark Horse”, replaced as it is with a twinkling piano that strips it of it’s rawness, resulting in a “lounge version”. Tonight, Bowerbirds are at their best when stripped to the bare bones, as the encore of “Bright Future” and “Olive Hearts” shows, Moore taking the stage alone and picking gently at his guitar and letting his voice enchant the audience as they drift out into the warm London night.

Bowerbirds Setlist
Hooves
My Oldest Memory
Beneath yr Tree
House of Diamonds
Chimes
Silver Clouds
In Our Talons
Bur Oak
Teeth
Ticonderoga
Slow down
Northern lights
Dark Horse

Encore:
Bright Future
Olive Hearts