On the first day of the Newport Folk Festival, the breeze was up and the humidity was down. Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island was a beautiful spot for the particularly exciting Friday lineup.
At Twangville, we’ve known about the new scene in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and following in the footsteps of the Alabama Shakes is retro/soul outfit St. Paul and the Broken Bones. Led by the soulful pipes of singer Paul Janeway, the band rocked through a beat-heavy dance fest. Many audience members seemed new to the band but quickly caught on and began shaking to their vibe. We were most excited to see this band in the flesh.
With a seven piece band including three pieces in their horn section, the band even further fleshes out their retro sound. They didn’t waste any time diving in and showing off the range of their talented instrumentalists. They launched into a mixture of old and new, upbeat and slow tracks. Janeway showed off quite the range for his blue-eyed soul pipes. He sang songs from their forthcoming Sea of Noise LP as well as their Half the City LP from 2014. Highlights include the rocking “Half the City,” catchy “Like a Mighty River,” and the slow burn of “Broken Bones & Pocket Change.” The band had many converts by the end of the set.
Ray Lamontagne was next on the docket. He arrived with a full band and played a rocking set. His tunes were guitar heavy and the singer’s soul vibe was often obscured in the first half of the set. Songs from Ouroboros dominated the earlier songs. Later on, Ray played many catchy highlights from “Supernova” including the title-track and “Drive-In Movies.” These tracks were crowd favorites.
Freakwater core members Janet Bean and Catherine Irwin are back together. Their tight harmonies and simple arrangements are hallmarks of the Louisville duo’s compositions. The two sing together with tight harmonies and heartfelt writing. Their new record showcases a combination of acoustic and electric tunes. The duo had a combination of new and old tunes in their set. The first three came from their new record Scheherazade. “What the People Want” sounded like an acoustic era Freakwater song. “The Asp and the Albatross” was a more rocking affair with drums and electric guitar. Later on in the set “Bolshevik and Bollweevil” was somewhere in the middle with subtle drums. Older tracks “Cheap Watch” and “Hero Heroine” showcased the pair’s unique harmonies and unabashed Appalachian singing style. They are a unique rural act who explore more rural “folk” themes.
As the first day at Newport came to a close, I went home happy after seeing new and old acts carrying beautiful music and bringing it to an appreciative audience.
Photos by Suzanne Davis McMahon
About the author: Jeff is a teacher in the Boston area. When not buried correcting papers, Jeff can be found plucking various stringed instruments and listening to all types of americana music.