Reviews

Artists:The Bittersweets / Laura Critchley
Venue:The Borderline
Town:London
Date:14/01/09
Website:http://www.thebittersweets.com/
http://www.myspace.com/lauracritchley/

Options, I've always got options when travelling from my home into London: if there is a problem with the local bus, I can drive to the station; if there is a problem with the trains, I can get a tube; if there is a problem with the train and tube, twenty minutes away is another station on another line. Travelling from my day job (in Kent) the only option I have is the Dartford river crossing and when there is a lorry broken down in both tunnels the only option is to turn off the engine and wait.

Thankfully the blockages were cleared relatively quickly and, being in the centre of London, The Borderline is quick to get to. I missed the opening act, Caroline Lost, but got through the door in time to see Laura Critchley. Liverpudlian Critchley opened with a rocky track called "The Girl Is Back In Town" which although having more in common with Bryan Adams than Thin Lizzy, was enough to make me wonder if I was in the right gig. By the time "Big Big World" ("for any one who spends too much time on Facebook") and "What We Do" had finished I was left in no doubt why she was supporting a Nashville band. Critchley has a stunning earthy voice with a distinct country edge to it and the power of it was highlighted on her cover of "Piece Of My Heart".

Set List
The Girl Is Back In Town
Big Big World
What Do We Do
It's Then
Piece Of My Heart
Your Loving Arms
Taking My Time

In contrast to Critchley, The Bittersweets had, for their first tour of the UK, left their "rock band" back in Tennessee. Personally, I don't think that the drums and bass they tour with in the States was missed as Hannah Prater's guitar, harmonica and vocals and Chris Meyers' keyboards and vocals amply filled the stage for the opening song "Wreck". Touring to promote "Goodnight San Francisco" it was not until a cover of Tom Waits' "I hope that I don't fall in Love With You" that they veered from their second album, indeed we needed to wait until three quarters through their set until we heard anything - "Long Day" (with Prater on keyboards) from their debut "The Life You Always Wanted".

Meyers and Prater swapped effortlessly between keyboards and guitar and, after asking: "Is it crazy for us to try something off mic here, or is it too big?" they discarded both for a beautiful acapella version of Leadbelly's "Give Me Little Water, Sylvie".

The undoubted strength of The Bittersweets is Prater's voice: it is both delicate and steely at the same time. With some artists you feel they are struggling to get to were they want to be; Prater does it effortlessly.

After briefly leaving the stage they return for one last song and, making my night, it is a cover of Gillian Welch's "Orphan Girl" and even Emmylou didn't do it better. I hope they return for some festival dates this summer.

Set List
Wreck
Blue
Birmingham
My Sweet Love
I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You
Fortunate Wind
Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie
Long Day
Prison
Good Night San Francisco
War Is Over

Encore
Orphan Girl

John Hawes

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