It is a rare thing, to say the least, that someone walks up on stage for their 3 song slot to truly shine through the din of same old same old... but when it happens, its well worth having sat through all the rubbish that got you there.

Jamie Lawson is one such rare thing. Vocally engaging, he stands at one end of a crowded room and sings as if you and he are the only two people there, right to you across an audience that, more often than not, are too deep in conversation to listen to whats happening behind them. Which is a shame, because this guy has the ability to knock your socks off if only you'd only take a moment to give him that chance.

To offer a comparison; think Glen Hansard, Damien Rice and Tom McRae and then stop thinking and let the music speak for itself. The E.P; 'Real Thing', released August 18th on itunes, is a lovely little sample of something a lot bigger and a lot better than 5 tracks allow for, think of it as a precursor to an album that, by the sound of every new track that gets its trial run amidst the dull, unoriginal, rubbish that gets its 15 minutes of noise at one of these nights, will be rich with sound and emotion. The best moments come with the final two tracks, 'The Touch Of Your Hand' and 'Some Ships', to brilliantly show off Jamies greatest talent; a beautiful voice with a fragility so delicate its haunting and a way with words that forces you to feel every second of every moment along with him. If you see his name on the bill in one of those pub backrooms sometime, then do take a moment to sit through the shit and lend him your ears.

Jamie delivers a powerful emotional punch and a voice that pulls you into a world of musical intimacy to nestle somewhere between love and loss, leaving both you and he vulnerable to the rhythm of an acoustic guitar and the lull of a sweet tune. The only disappointment is that it ends at exactly the moment he seems to have warmed up, to leave you wondering; what would happen if this guy was given a 5 song slot, or even a whole hour to himself?

His ability to perform seems to come from...well, nowhere. At first glance this shy, quiet man doesnt look as if he could raise his voice above a gentle whisper and yet, when he takes to the stage with a guitar in his hand and a song in his heart, something really quite magical seems to burst out from deep inside him. To watch Jamie sing in the tiny backrooms of pubs and folk bars is like being let in on a big secret, a secret that you and he and 40 or 50 other people share for a whole 20 minutes and thats... nice and all but, dont get me wrong theres undeniably something special about such intimacy between a performer and their audience but sometimes its no less than a great great shame.

 

 

Posted In Live Reviews, Sep 15 2008. Words - Rebecca