It was again a distinctly pleasing experience to see Sam Lee perform live, and again at The Phoenix in Exeter – the third time I have seen him there. For my reviews of other gigs and his albums, go here.
Lee and band began their first set with The Garden of England (Seeds of Love), the opener from latest
release Old Wow. This was followed by
the immense Spencer the Rover, oft
recorded and memorable, and particularly resonant to me loving, as I do, John
Martyn’s version. Lee has to a degree divested it of its prettier melodies from
other performers [The Copper family’s is rougher edged but still beautiful] and
focused in his preamble before singing on the troubled mind in its narrative
And he had been much
reduced
Which caused great
confusion
which implicitly [or maybe more directly] foregrounds our increasingly
contemporary recognition of mental health issues. And quite right. It is such a
plaintive/sentimental song, where this returned wanderer is greeted with the prittle prattling stories of the children
running around
As valiant a man as
ever left home.
We were engaged in a sing-along with the wonderful Phoenix Island from his 2015 album The Fade in Time, and there were other
visits to this album. From his current album there were Soul Cake, Sweet Sixteen, and Turtle
Dove, this latter – and others – presented passionately in the context of
climate extinction, with Lee telling us how the turtle dove and the nightingale
would both likely be vanished from the UK within 25 years.
Lee intersperses his singing with these introductions,
explanations and expansions. His wrapping around some songs the notions of
their sacredness and profanity [this is a shorthand encapsulation!] makes us thoughtful
about his deep thoughtfulness. It certainly should do.
There was a gorgeous return to The Fade in Time with Airdog,
and the song finishing the second set was the sublime Lovely Molly.
And I think that is where I’ll conclude, summing up the
whole, yet again: Lovely.
Sam and fine band in rehearsal - Jon Whitten Mongolian Dulcimer, Piano & Ukelele; Josh Green : Percussion; Flora Curzon : Violin; Sam Lee : Vocals, Jews Harp & Shruti Box:
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