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Tonight at the Acoustic Cafe, Derek Luttrell opened for, once local favorite, now Nashville girl back for a visit, Anna Johnson. It was a great show to a full and enthusiastic house. I speak for all of us in the audience who are happy to have Anna back with us for a couple of weeks, from her new home in Nashville.
Anna sounded the best I have ever heard her tonight. Her singing confidence level continues to climb. Her voice is stronger than I have ever heard it. Confidence builds on itself. I feel like the recording studio work she is doing now is teaching her things. If she is sounding this significantly improved at a live show, in studio, where they can really bring out the nuances, the results could be astounding.
Other than the fact that the Acoustic Cafe sucks as a place to take a picture, (too dark) it is a good venue. It's a little hard surfaced with it's chairs, floor, and tables, so background noise tends to carry more. I was at times wishing the crowd would be a touch quieter during the between song banter. Hearing the music was no problem. It was a a wonderful show. And, I do forget, some people go to coffeehouses to drink coffee and interact with people. They actually think the music is the background noise!
Anna played a requested cover of some Taylor Swift song. I can't remember the name of it. I am sure my daughter knows it. I am not a huge fan. The song was cute, but I am not in the audience for cute. I am sitting there to listen for Anna's specialty. It is the sad, gut-wrenching songs, of love lost and l loneliness, but in the end, …life, that I go to hear. And in this, Anna delivered admirably. She sings a very sweet, sad song.
And, yet, just to prove that I as hypocritical as the next guy, I love her cover of the Ronan Keating song, When you say nothing at all.
I wish I would have heard a few more new Anna pieces. She gave us a new Christmas single which will be out in time for the holidays. She is hoping to get this new one on the radio. I liked it. It was a bit heavier in the "Christ in Christmas" category for me. I admit I am mostly one of the sinners to which the song refers. But, it was also catchy, and I will certainly buy it when it is out, for a few more listens. Aside from that, though, I feel like I had heard all the rest of the songs she played. And, there no real contenders for the song to bump out Damaged and Bruised from the hummed playlist in my mind. Now that could have been our fault. The audience. It could be Anna, for her hometown crowd, gave us all her old favorites.
Something that is always fun about seeing Anna live, there is always one piece that gets thrown in. And I can alway tell it is coming up because Julia gets this, "I can't believe we are really about to do this…" look on her face. Back a few years ago, I used to hang out with an Irish band once in a while. They used to joke, "Here's a little number we learned on the way over here tonight." Then they would launch into a song they had played for years. When Anna says this, it is a good deal nearer the truth. When you have to call out to the crowd, borrow a laptop, and look up the music to a song you learned earlier in the day, this is a fresh tune. The girls did great. A couple of bobbles. Nice recoveries, and thinking back I have enjoyed every episode I have seen of the "new song", tonight was no exception.
Anna's sister, Julia Johnson has a great voice. Her's is bit deeper, and the two of them really harmonize wonderfully together. The one thing I noticed, it seemed like she had not been singing as much lately. Certainly, the girls have not been singing together as much as they have in the past. Don't get me wrong, it was not through technical glitches I say this. She sounded great. But more to the heavier reappearance of her undeserving case of stage shyness.
I also got my hands on the newly release live cd, which I was at the recording session. The CD is available from the Johnsons, for $12. Not available in iTunes unfortunately. Popped into the CD player of the soccer mom minivan for the drive home, the sound seemed ver y clean. This CD contains my favorite Anna Johnson track, mentioned above, Damaged and Bruised. I love this song. Haunting. I love it. It will be nice to have a clean copy. The CD version is much better than the low quality version I had <cough> <cough> stream ripped off her MySpace site. Anna's web site is at: http://www.myspace.com/annajohnsonmusic
There were a couple of short Anna Johnson snits directed at her sister. Travel, stress and a week back with family. Even such a close family as theirs. We all love our families, you know that but… :-) Aren't you always toughest on those you love?
Derek Luttrell was Anna's warm up. I find this guy's music fascinating. He is playing the coffee house circuit in the Twin Cities area. Check the schedule on his web site for more info. http://www.derekluttrell.com/Site/Welcome.html
Derek has a very distinctive style. He plays in sort of a back water blues, slap guitar. Rough on the hands to play, but a super cool sound. Then there is Derek's voice. His muddied up vocals. Outstanding. He is worth the drive to see. Check his schedule and you won't be disappointed.
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