If you're having withdrawals on account of Lip Service coming
off the air, you might want to give Caroline Gilmour a listen. The
Scottish lesbian has been gaining international acclaim of late -
and rightly so - but right now her fan base is still quite small,
as made evident by her gig this Saturday night.
London's Monto Water Rats - themonto.com - provided the
perfect venue for an intimate acoustic gig on the second night of
Gilmour's UK tour. Playing a six-song set, the singer didn't seem
fazed by the small crowd. Nor does she look out of place flanked by
the two men who play her bassist and guitarist. In her thick
Scottish accent she joked with her audience about the trip up from
Edinburgh and the fact that she'll soon be opening for Charlotte
Church.
It's clear that Gilmour is an extremely likeable young woman. Her
songs stand the test too. Gilmour's EP 'What Georgina Said' was
released on 2 July 2012 and she has just signed her first music
licence deal with MCM Songs USA - headed up by Sherry Orson,
formerly of Virgin and Universal music. She doesn't seem at all out
of place in a venue that has hosted the likes of Bob Dylan and Katy
Perry.
The singer opens with 'Space', which sounds a little like
Evanescence meets Alanis Morrissette. Her voice is bigger than the
room and the crowd seem impressed. 'I Don't Think So' and 'Crazy
World' are performed well, the latter being a song about the
singer's defiant love for another girl. The guitarist by her side
delivers just the right amount of percussion to her tracks by
tapping his instrument, adding another level to the sound. The trio
close with 'The Same Side', Gilmour's latest single. It's a soaring
ballad that gives Adele a run for her money.
One can't help but feel that Gilmour would feel right at home on
Radio 2, with her blend of easy listening soft-rock with
uncomplicated lyrics. The songs do feel a little safe, but they are
delivered with conviction and despite the set up there is nothing
lacking instrumentally. 'I Don't Think So' and 'The Same Side'
actually sound better live than on their recordings. Gilmour's EP
'What Georgina Said' and her twelve-track album 'Take A Look' are
extremely well-polished but her live stage presence comes across as
less contrived and a little more unpredictable, which is definitely
a good thing.
Caroline Gilmour has several more dates in the UK. See her
Facebook page here for
more information.
