Reviews

 @ Porter

Wednesday 7th June 2006

We had a great selection of true folk music tonight from a group of young people from Bristol playing together under the title 'The Cleaner Collective'. Two young slightly bohemian ladies called Rosie and Rachel began the evenings performance. Rosie stood up and played a black Fender Telecaster, apparently her first time playing an electric live. Rosie sat down and provided some beautiful harmonies as well as playing the tambourine for the first song. They both had very light and heavenly vocals which harmonised really well together. They also had that particulur 'English' pronounceation when they sang which I love to hear and really categorises good English folk music. Rachel picked up an acoustic for the second song as Rosie gently sang "everytime you say goodbye you hit me in the face with your feathers". The lyrics had that slightly quirky feel to them that you get from completely honest expression and the wonderful way that young ladies can see beauty in a situation tha! t most guys never could. They played a further two great songs before covering an Emily Forde song that Rosie had located from her mums old 78's. Their final track was amazing and sounded very ethereal. Rosie sang very quietly as Rachel performed a vocal technique that I've never seen. It involved creating a vibrato by rubbing her finger across her larynx whilst singing a note. I have no idea what the name of the technique is but it created that very haunting sound similiar to a theremin.

For the next set Rachel played by herself and took command of the electric guitar. Rosie's style was very much made up of gentle picking whereas Rachel tended to strum the chords a lot more. Rachel's voice also has a slightly higher range than Rosie's. Again the lyrics were very intimate and in the first track she sang "I've been setting myself traps with needles and pins". Her second song was about "my dear old mum" and contained some beautiful imagery. "Have yourself a drink and a lifetime smiling" followed by "May the rest of your time be full of sun and wind". Rosie returned to the stage for the third song to play a peculiar instrument and I must apologise folks because once again I have no idea what its called. It looks like a mini keyborad and its played by blowing air into it through a tube while pressing the keys. If anyone can enlighten me send an e-mail to www.moles.co.uk. Thanks very much. Anyway this song had a very dreamy feel to it as Rachel sang about "flying ! like birds and horses". The horse theme continued into the next song as Rosie provided a clip-clop backing with her voice. Rachel told another beautiful childlike story and sang "I'm just an old horse, I can't play this guitar with these hoofs". The final track contained some very impressive and high harmonies and was about "ships and watery things" being "inspired by Bristol docks". Both Rosie and Rachel were really charming and sang some beautiful songs.

A rather unassuming looking guy called Dan played next who had a very strong voice and again a high range. He sang "where are you now green river?" for the first song before going into 'a song without a name' with the words "It's nice when you worry and lend me a hand, come on baby give me a few minutes more". This was followed by a really good rendition of a Joni Mitchell song followed by another song with personal lyrics of "I know I'm angry but I need you more and more". He played another cover that I really didn't expect by Janes Addiction which he pulled off equally as successfully. His friend Andy joined him onstage for the last two tracks. The first was called 'Best Friend' and was a really nice and gentle homage to good friendship. Andrew provided some nice harmonies on this one. Dan finished his set with a cool upbeat track that Andy was grooving along to with the lyrics "She's never singing on her own, she's never writing on her own, she's got a man around!"

Andy was one third of the line-up for the final performance, being joined by a guy called Matt who sat to the left of the stage and played acoustc. He was also joined by Kayle, a female vocalist who sat center stage with her acoustic. Andy played mandolin and they played some great songs with what I'd call more of a traditional folk sound. Very down to earth storytelling with simple yet catchy acoustic melodies. I was a big fan of Andys vocals. As with Rosie and Rachel they had that very English feel about them. A guy I spoke to in the audience summed it up best by stating "It's almost as if you recognise his voice and his stories from somewhere but you can't quite put your finger on it" The sign of a very talented musician. Andy played acoustic on the second song whilst singing "I don't have no use for your red apple juice and I'm not going to be treated this way". This led into a track with some genius lyrics that he delivered extremely quickly about being three quarters P! olish and "I come from Cheltenham Town and there ain't a lot going on down there". This personal bit of storytelling expanded into a larger observation of "I don't see the sense in our strange national defense, can you feel the tide of our strange national pride?" Kayle provided some nice backing vocals on the next song, an upbeat and happy tune with the wisdom "write some words all of your own, sow them in a song and watch them grow in their own time". They played a further four more tracks in total. Kayle took the vocals on a song with the catchy chorus of "Running around with her ragtop down". Andy went back on mandolin for the next one which was followed by a track with some great poetic words of "One fine day when this life is over I shall fly away". They finished their set with one of Kayles songs called 'Tell Me Love'...."Tell me love are you sleeping inside of me?"

I enjoyed every single act and it was great to have a whole evening of really good folk music with a difference. I believe they are all based in Bristol so if you head down to the docks you may find yourself enchanted by the sirens and sailors of The Cleaner Collective! Not a bad thing by any means!

Ed Hutchinson