Lorraine and the Borderlands

A local band usually draws a good sized crowd to The House, and Lorraine McCauley's outfit was no exception.  Singer/songwriter and guitarist McCauley originates from Donegal and her fellow band members hail from a variety of different backgrounds, so there are a lot of influences at work in the final sound.  There's Jonee Duggan playing accordion and glockenspiel, Nick Jenkins on fiddle and viola, the joyous Calum Ingram on cello, and Gordy Duncan providing the percussion.  With one album behind them, tonight was about the launch of a new single, Good Things, itself presaging a new album later in the year.

Perhaps most obviously categorised as folk, there's a broad mix of ballads, love songs, and sociopolitical observation.  Lyrically and melodically the songs, composed by McCauley, stand up well and there are catchy tunes and singalong choruses.  I was impressed with a new number, Rosscrea Robbery, written from the point of view of an inmate of the Magdalene Laundries which conveyed a heartfelt poignancy mixed with anger at the injustices inflicted on so many young women.

But it's less the quality of the songs themselves than the performance of them that marks this band out.  McCauley's voice has power and passion, a decent range and some imaginative phrasing, with the underlying warmth of her Irish accent adding a welcoming tone.  She's backed up some clever arrangements and excellent musicianship.  There's little in the way of solos from the accordion, the instrument mostly used as a filler to enrich the overall sound, and the minimalist percussion, and glockenspiel, provide their contributions to both rhythm and melody.  The fireworks come from Jenkins and Ingram, with both demonstrating lyrical beauty, jazziness and sheer energy, leaving you wondering why rock cello isn't more of a thing for it's an amazing sound.  The climax to the set comes from the rampaging Wild Green Nettles where a strong gypsy influence builds up to a storming finish.

A great live band, amusing and relaxed between numbers and very friendly in mixing with their audience.   I look forward to hearing the next album, with there being every sign that it will surpass their enjoyable previous effort.

Here's a rendition of the aforementioned Wild Green Nettles from the last time Lorraine played at The House.  Enjoy.