It’s been a while, that’s for sure. Caitlin Rose last played the Brudenell on the 28th of February 2013. The Texas-born Nashvillian was to release her second full-length album, The Stand-In the following week and seemed to be on the cusp of something pretty big. But then, a few live appearances aside, there was kind of nothing as she just sort of disappeared off the musical map. Last November, and more than nine and a half years later, The Stand-In’s follow-up, CAZIMI was to finally appear.
Various reasons are cited for this long delay between records including Caitlin Rose’s creative self-doubt, her feelings that things somehow weren’t just right, and some undisclosed trauma. It is abundantly clear that none of these factors are present here tonight.
Caitlin Rose is at her most playful. Between songs she enquires about the latest football score in the relegation clash between Leeds United and Leicester City (though her understanding of the merit of a score draw may need some further enlightenment); is bummed that she is missing one of her favourite bands, Shonen Knife, who just happen to be playing at the very same time in the venue’s main concert room next door; and at one point demands to know everyone’s favourite Muppet, before then inviting each audience member to silently recreate their chosen puppet character during ‘Only A Clown.’
And Caitlin Rose is performing at her most powerful best. Together with her highly impressive band – Dominic Billett (drums), Jerry Bernhardt (guitar), Chris Hillman (pedal steel), and Brett Mielke (bass) – she gleefully slaloms her way through a delightful 14-song set, half of which is drawn from CAZIMI with the remainder split pretty much evenly between her 2010 debut album, Own Side Now, The Stand-In, and a couple of cover versions.
Having serenely motored through a couple of top tunes from CAZIMI – both ‘Carried Away’ and ‘How Far Away’ illustrate Caitlin Roses’s country power pop credentials and just how much her songwriting has developed in the interim – she then inadvertently bangs her top lip on the mic. This unfortunate accident prompts a hilarious anecdote about her family’s genetic predisposition towards Elvis’s signature lip curl and the introduction of a song that the King could easily have recorded. ‘Nobody’s Sweetheart’ certainly wouldn’t have been out of place on his 1969 album, Elvis In Memphis.
We get the “creepy version” of ‘Only Lies’ as Caitlin Rose dispels the myth that CAZIMI is informed by astrology. It is a concept album, she jokingly tells us, one that connects every single sequence of horror movies. ‘Blameless’ is overwhelmingly tender and as if to somehow dilute the song’s huge emotional impact Rose concludes by deadpanning “Come with me if you want to live,” as a huge smile emerges across her face.
The first of tonight’s covers is Rose’s interpretation of Magnolia Electric Co.’s ‘Nashville Moon’. Chris Hillman’s plaintive pedal steel adds to the poignancy of the song and the dreadfully sad thought of Jason Molina’s premature passing. The second cover is the first encore and a rather ramshackle, good-natured take on The Wonders’ novelty hit, ‘That Thing You Do!’. Caitlin Rose says “You’re gonna really fucking hate me after this.” She can rest assured that we don’t and the perfect valediction of ‘Own Side’ affirms just how much we have missed her and how pleased we are to have her back.
Photos: Simon Godley
More photos from this show are HERE
