Star rating 8/10
When I first
saw Canadian country singer Lindi Ortega play live in the intimate surroundings
of at the Castle Hotel in Manchester last February, I was taken aback by the
power of the voice coming from such a slight singer. She has now moved from
Toronto to live in the country capital of the world - Nashville. And has released
a second album, Cigarettes and Truckstops,
which follows on nicely from where she left off with her first release, Little Red Boots. And she is showing no
signs of letting up, again commanding the stage despite being small in stature.
This time in the
more grungy atmosphere of the Soup Kitchen, which suits her sexy, sassy, and confessional
style rather well, she again sang her heart out for all to hear. She was
accompanied this time by her friend Tom on guitar, and even by her tour manager
Dave on tambourine and shaker for some of the numbers. The crowd were
disconcertingly quiet - a more lively, raunchy atmosphere would have helped
things along. But regardless Lindi poured her emotions out in great new numbers
like Demons Don't Get Me Down, about
being lonely and blue in Nashville without her family and friends. The title
song of her latest release is about an ill fated romance on tour, which she impetuously
followed up by boarding a Greyhound bus and going across the US - I'd rather have you still you still beside
me than have you always running through my mind. Oh look out California - I'm coming for my lover's heart tonight - she
sings. And you really can picture her doing just that.
Some of her
songs are more upbeat in tone, even though the subject matter may not be - All My Friends is about late night
debauchery and dubious friends, for example. Little Lie is a lovely rock and rock infused number, revealing all
the power in her wonderful voice. Angels
also has a great rocky feel, but
complete with country style heartbreak of course. She seems to feel more at home dealing with
despair and heartache, no matter how sweetly she sings, covering subjects such
as suicide by jumping off bridges; medicating deep pain with drugs and alcohol;
and all manner of unsuitable or doomed relationships. She is an enchanting mix
of vulnerability and raw power, and is a big talent.
She does a
good line in covers, including a great
husky, sad, slow version of House of the
Rising Sun. And the glorious Makin' Believe
- first sung by Kitty Wells and since covered by a range of stars including
Emmylou Harris. Her love of Johnny Cash was revealed in a slow version of Ring Of Fire, as well as Fulsome Prison Blues. And Janis Joplin's
Mercedes Benz got an outing in the
encore. Great though these covers are, and no one can deny that Ortega is
skilled at making them her own, I would rather she had played more of her own
songs. Some great ones from her first album were omitted due to the number of
covers she sang, which was a shame as she is a brilliant song writer.
Lately I have
heard some of her music on the fabulous TV series Nashville (what do you mean you haven't been watching it - shame on you
- Thursdays 10pm More4 - you will thank me), so hopefully it won't be long before she gets wider
recognition for her music, but I do hope she still plays in smaller seedier
venues - it sort of suits her, in a good way.
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