Pickin’ & Grinnin’ - Lynn Miles & Alana Levandoski
Pickin’ & Grinnin’
Lynn Miles & Alana Levandoski
Brontë Music Club, Rathfriland, Co. Down
November 23
The promotional flyer invited recipients to come along and view, at close quarters, a pair of fine Canadian songbirds, rarely seen in these parts and only just flown in for a fleeting winter visit. A not insignificant crowd heeded what turned out to be excellent advice, taking up all possible vantage points at this increasingly popular roost, now well used to hosting its fair share of fine, international songbirds, to enjoy yet another superlative night of top class entertainment. It was a close run thing but I resisted the temptation to include ‘warble’ in the description. Alana Levandoski and Lynn Miles, on a short joint tour, each played individual sets only coming together for a brief encore. If the appreciative crowd had had its way, they would have continued long into the night, such was the warmth of their reception. First up and making a very welcome return visit was Alana who made quite an impact during her all too brief support slot (for Blue Rodeo) last year. In my opinion, she has matured like fine malt since then. Her set contained a mix of songs from her only release to date, the excellent UNSETTLED DOWN, as well as some new tracks destined for a new CD, as yet unnamed, but due for release in the spring of 2008. Judging by tonight, it will be well worth a listen on its eventual release. I particularly enjoyed Song for a Cougar and Calvary Road, the latter receiving its premiere live performance at the Brontë. Alana felt compelled to explain that the ‘cougar’ in the title of the former is a Canadian term to describe women of mature years who frequent night spots with the single aim of hitting on younger men. Sounds ok to me! Clearly, no subject is exempt these days. All in all, a great set from an artist I expect to be entertaining appreciative crowds in good music venues (like this) for years to come. Then, as if we weren’t already spoiled enough, Lynn Miles, whom I have long admired as a recording artist, stepped on stage for only her second ever show in Ireland. Sporting a locally made Lowden guitar, she launched her set with Flames of Love and again delivered the pick of her recorded material over the last few years from an extensive back catalogue, including one of my personal favourites, You Don’t Love Me Anymore. Tracks also flowed from the current LOVE SWEET LOVE and, sensing correctly that she was among friends, she even felt comfortable enough to test a few contenders, including the gorgeous Cracked and Broken, competing for spots on her own new CD, again untitled, due out in late spring. Primarily well known for her melancholy song content and her plaintive delivery, Lynn did not disappoint her large audience and her anecdotes and the stories prompting the songs were an absolute delight. Both ladies joined forces on great arrangements of, maintaining the Canadian link, Neil Young’s Helpless and Hank’s I’m So Lonesome before Lynn brought the curtain down on a superlative night with Emmylou’s Those Memories of You (TRIO Vol One). If only proper twitchers could always be this well rewarded for venturing out to view songbirds on similar fleeting visits. Cathal McLaughlin