On Wednesday night I hooked up with Dora and went and saw Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan perform songs from their collaborative Mercury nominated album.
The album itself has very unusual harmonies, but it works. Campbell's sweet vocal not overpowered by the thundering drawl of Lanegan. I believe they recorded it separately, and this tour is their first face to face. She seemed a bit intimidated by him it has to be said!
Mark Lanegan has to be one of the coolest front men I've ever seen live. It looked like he'd drunk a couple of bottles of bourbon before making his entrance, he was extremely chilled, left the talking to his vocal partner and stood there, sometimes with a wry smile on his face, effortlessly belting out songs.
The vocal mix needed work at the beginning, it wasn't so tight, but it improved towards the end.
A surprise was hearing Campbell do a cover version of Willows Song, penned by Paul Giovanni from the Wicker Man soundtrack. When I heard the opening bars I thought, "hmmm, sounds familiar, very much like Willows Song" and then Campbell broke into the first line and I grinned! Those haunting vocals brought back great memories :-) If you closed your eyes you could see Britt Ekland gyrating, slapping her thighs and enticing christian copper Edward Woodward to her warm bosom. That film, or rather that scene could get you worshipping Baphomet in no time. I tried to find it on Youtube, but no such luck! I love that film! And I'd never thought I'd hear that song live.... ever!
As for Mark Lanegan's solo stuff, loved it. Going to start to pick up his back catalogue now. It works so well live though, that dark bluesy growl driving stakes into my soul. He really was magnificent.
Dora is now off to San Fransisco with work now, lucky cow. Wish I was going, but I may be sent to Bracknell next week, so that's a real treat for me. Ha! Who needs Alcatraz when you can pound the streets of the Great Hollands estate.
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