Eliza Delf and the Wilderness
The new songs demonstrate just how far Eliza Delf has developed as a songwriter and performer over the last twelve months.
It is almost eighteen months since I saw Eliza Delf and The Wilderness Collective headline at Norwich Arts Centre, which is a long time in the career of any young artist. Since then, the band has slimmed down to a four-piece, they have dropped the 'collective' from their name, and Delf has been busy writing new material. There have been festival performances this year, but this was my first chance to catch them 'up close and personal' again, and to check out the new songs and the new line-up.
The band now no longer features a permanent bass player or keyboards, and Jacob Brown has joined on guitar to augment the new, more intimate, acoustic sound. Their Sunday night set at the Waterfront Studio begins with two familiar songs from the acclaimed 'Into The Wilderness' album - 'Singing With My Ghost' and 'Howl', each taking on a new life with the stripped back arrangements but, at times, leaving Eliza's vocals slightly more exposed. However, the first of the new songs, 'Uncanny', demonstrates just how much she has developed as a songwriter and performer, her lyrics now concentrating more on herself and her relationships with those around her. 'Uncanny' is a song that still has her voice twisting and soaring (remember those Kate Bush comparisons?), but the mood is now more considered, almost portentous.
'If She Were To Fall' and 'Stealing My Fear Away', and the rest of the familiar songs, all take on new life, Eva Wright's cello playing and supporting vocals still providing the underpinning, but Jacob Browne's acoustic guitar adds a fresh new take.
'Twine' is another fabulous brand new song, its dynamic twisting melody giving Eliza's vocals fresh new directions in which to travel. Someone mentioned that her voice now has a Siouxsie Sioux edge to it, and I am being reminded a little bit of Lene Lovich, with the dramatic stage delivery of theatre musical icons like Ute Lemper or Liza Minelli.
Another brand new song ('The Check'?) was apparently inspired by a dream about being pregnant, its two-part vocal harmony punctuated by calls to “listen to my body”, and also challenging stereotyped preconceptions about being ready for childbirth. 'Merry Go Round', also new, begins with a wonderfully languid cello intro that suddenly shifts up a gear as the carousel gets going.
The final new song of the evening is the slightly psychotic 'Look At Me', its waltz-like rhythm and dramatic build emphasising the double-edged sword of its lyrical content.
The new songs demonstrate just how far Eliza Delf has developed as a songwriter and performer over the last twelve months. The new stripped-back line-up works much better with the brand new material, but I would not want to see the older songs dropped from the setlist either. I guess that is always going to be a balancing act for any developing artist, but when the material is as strong as this, that is not a big problem to have.
Opening support came from Marcus Patterson's Bird Service, a lively line-up of brass, guitar and percussion, together with a bass guitar that somehow managed to sound just like a tuba. Quite extraordinary. The sound had a mixture of Caribbean and Mexican influences, and their songs would slot neatly into any Tarantino film soundtrack. In fact, some of the players even looked like characters from a Tarantino movie. Well done boys!
