“It was folk with a twist last night at the Cross Hands in Bristol as Mark Venus presented the sultry sounds of vocalist/pianist Di Elle and English Country virtuoso, Susanah Lea.
As a prelude to her new album, DiElle played songs based on Internet dating, living in fear and friendship. She moves between the melancholy and the uplifting with ease due to her remarkable abilities as a vocalist and songwriter. She also included some covers in the set, but since I joined her for the last one I don’t feel I can comment too much! That said, DiElle has an ability to interpret songs and communicate them to an audience at a level which causes the listener a whole new appreciation of the piece, as she did last night with Joe Cocker’s ‘You Are So Beautiful’.
Susanah Lea is also in the process of recording at the moment. Last night she played her memorable Nashville-inspired ‘RSVP’, like a more upbeat version of ‘D-I-V-O-R-C-E’ in the vein of the best of acoustic female singer-songwriters.
It’s a singalong melody, but she also sang the melancholy, Christy Moore-esque ‘Anymore’ as well as a host of unexpected covers, including songs by the Killers and Bob Dylan. Her blues guitar on ‘There’s a Baby In the House’ did not at all jar with the rest of the set. For me it was a bit of a highlight.
Look out for these ladies at further Mark Venus Music events”
Eve Williams for Mark Venus Music, 3rd June 2012
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