Konsertrecension: Mandolin Orange manages to land in exactly the right tempo

at First, I liked it anyway, bluegrass, but then it just became too much. When Mumford & Sons was huge and Avicii suddenly pulled up for a bluegrassband at Ultrafestivalen in Miami dog all the subtle qualities in the genre. What was left was the stompiga the beat, arpeggiomandolinerna and the patriarchal magstödssångarna.

since Then, a number of new artists and bands approached and given on developing bluegrassen again, a little gently, from the side. The duo Mandolin Orange from North Carolina is perhaps the best example.

Bluegrass is just one of the influences, of course, it is as much about Paul Simon's melodikänsla, countrymusikens the narrative tradition and folkgenrens cautious sense of renewal. In many ways, is the Gillian Welchs and Dave Rawlings given the heir.

to Stockholm, they have a full backing band with him. Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz, of course, had done excellent also this time, but the band makes it all the more luxurious. Mandolin Orange music is very much about restraint and calm; about to land in exactly the right tempo, the rest of the tone, singing with almost unreal casual votes. The band will help them with it.

the Sound of Slaktkyrkan – cultural alibit in the gentrification of the old meatpacking district – is nice and the sacred form do the music justice. The music is at all oddly obvious, the songs sound often as if they always existed.

the stories in just a few minutes, nature is often present and specifically named. He sings about the field, the oak tree and the recurring forest fires where sparks light up the night. Although I do not always understand the metaphors, they are very atmospheric.

the Musicians are extremely responsive, and even when the band announces that they should let loose a bit and play honky tonk, it is with such caution that, also the song goes to rest in. Otherwise it is surprisingly catchy and amazing ekvilibristiskt. Andrew the Marlins mandolinspel is through and through brilliant.

It was a long time since I heard music that gave so much security and warmth.

Read more music reviews by Po Tidholm, for example, about how Gretchen Peters finds a different freedom in the dark.