After getting sidetracked by salt and pepper calamari, we missed part of the set from warm up band Teeth and Tongue, however I must admit the forced female vocals, fuzzed guitar riffs and overt stylised referencing by lead singer Jess Cornelius was perhaps at odds with the nature of the main performer.
All this was forgotten though, by the conclusion of the second supporting act Kid Sam. A duo from Melbourne, their self-titled debut LP has received recent airtime on FBi, and I was interested to see how the lush sound translated live. Despite the initial appearance of two students ditching high school band practice to jam, cousins Kieren and Kishore Ryan quickly dispel any preconceptions with an intense, lyrical sound far richer than you would expect to be produced by just two musicians.
Kishore’s innovative percussion provides far more than metronomic accompaniment to the lyrical aspects, with creative inclusions of a kitchen pot and wok far from gimmicky adding rigidity and tension to stand-out track We’re Mostly Made of Water. Kieren’s vocals enmeshed with nimble guitar work deliver haunting lyrics across musical silence in Close Your Eyes And It All Goes Black. Their live performance renders this group a step up from other emerging subversive pop groups. After being so delightfully surprised by the sheer maturity in delivery and earnest performance from Kid Sam, my expectations for Jack Ladder had been subsequently raised.
Long time bandmates Laurence Pike (Pivot) on drums, and bassist Donny Waples (Triosk) are joined by recent addition Kirin Callinan (formerly of Mercy Arms, now with Fashion Launches Rocket Launches). Callinan provides a jaunty lift as his performance appears to channel a pixie-ish Angus Young crossed with some indescribably androgynous, yet quite sexy being (well according to my companion) as he deftly floats across stage, juxtaposing light guitar solos and heavy reliance on effects pedals to breathe new life into Jack Ladder’s songs replacing the honky tonk piano, horns section and violin of the album. Combined, the musicians provide maturity and depth far in excess of mere backing band.
A recent interview with Jack Ladder quoted him expressing his distaste for artists who simply perform their works as heard on the original recording, and it is clear he has carried such a notion into the rehearsal of this tour. Songs have been reworked with the personalities of each performer given freedom to be expressed, resulting in performance rich with attitude alluded to in Ladder’s second album Love Is Gone.This attitude is accompanied by a subverted meaning in many of the more well-known songs, achieved through a re-think in instrumentation and arrangement. This is seen most clearly in title track Love is Gone. The original recording provides an almost twee uptempo piano and guitar melody which appears to deliberately contradict the resigned lyrics detailing the death of a relationship. Live, the song is reworked as a progressive and melodic requiem setting the tone for a very different Jack Ladder.
Similarly, You Won’t Be Forgotten (When You Leave) maintains its raw instrumentation, with sentimentality set aside with the addition of Callinan’s almost animalistic barking percussive accompanying vocals. Whilst this is for the most part an extremely welcome interpretation, it unfortunately somewhat diminishes the devastating desperation conveyed in the earlier tracks such as Two Clocks. This seemingly saccharine testament to devoted love disguises a sinister alternate meaning, and sadly this duality is lost in its translation from quiet acoustic contemplation to live rock.
Acclaimed favourites are interspersed among new tracks, and the occasional reference to debut recording Not Worth Waiting For. Two new tracks are included as tantalising tastes of the new record to come, with final track Position Vacant infusing Ladder’s typical acerbic wit with deadpan emotional appeal. Ladder’s voice permeates every nook and cranny of the Annandale, and manages to overcome the sometime soulless drone which overcomes many groups attempting to conquer the venue. Collectively, the catalogue provides an introspective glance into the mind of an emerging local songwriter, whose unassuming demeanour and subtle charisma more than charm the pants off every woman in the room.Jack Ladder tours nationwide throughout July, including a return to Sydney at the Brass Monkey in Cronulla on July 16. We are all now seriously considering a Sutherland Shire roadtrip…
*photo credit: courtesy dsvision.net
Jack Ladder eating a banana.... enjoy kiddoes
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