It was ‘Surf And Destroy’, the band’s dreamy first single, that alerted us to The Leaning. With its hypnotic beat and shoegaze mood; its enigmatic lyrics and melody, that was echoing round our heads after just one listen, the song was a great calling card. We want to hear more. And following a string of recent sell-out gigs in other towns, Saturday’s homecoming gives us the opportunity to do just that.
First up, though, is Anknee – aka Annie Dorrett – a Brighton-based singer-songwriter from Toronto, Canada. Standing on a stage with just your guitar can sometimes be daunting, but Anknee wins over the crowd with some endearingly self-deprecating comments and a couple of tentative strums, before launching into a song of such emotional heft that we are left breathless. “I will not forgive, I will not forget,” she sings, her powerful voice soaring. There is a country edge to the songs, both melodically and lyrically. Friendships, past and present, are explored with a generosity of spirit: “I hope someone’s dancing with you.”
Fans of Lucinda Williams and The Weather Station are in familiar territory, though Anknee is very much her own person, and as the set approaches its end, she performs a standout number. “I wonder if my brother misses me…” is the opening line to a heart-tugging song about that unique relationship between siblings. Last up is a cover of Tracy Chapman’s a cappella ‘Behind The Wall’, a hard-hitting look at domestic violence and police indifference, as relevant today as at its 1988 release, and delivered by Anknee with such force and indignation that no one could be left unmoved.
Next up are The Roebucks, a Brighton band who have been playing their 70s-infused music, with sweet harmonies and nifty guitar breaks, to ever-larger audiences since forming last year. Usually a four-piece, the unavoidable absence of guitarist/vocalist Lola Gordon leaves them reduced to three this evening. The songs (with titles such as ‘California’ and, if we heard right, ‘Midnight Eyes’) have an Americana feel to them, shifting from soft alt-country to something altogether rockier. The Eagles meet The Wrens perhaps – or indeed, the Byrds themselves.
Of course, we don’t get the full effect of their layered harmonies, though lead guitarist/vocalist Tom Cotter and drummer Ezra Jellinek’s voices work well together. At one point, Tom concedes “we’re kind of winging it, so we’ll do a blues song”. With such a crucial element to their overall sound missing, it is to the band’s credit that they haven’t pulled out. Their recent single, ‘Sable’, with its delicate harmonies and crisp guitarwork is testimony to what they can produce when the whole band takes to the stage, and we’re looking forward to catching them again live when they do.
Throughout the evening, the breaks between sets have been filled with tracks taken from Spotify’s list of ‘Music To Inspire The Leaning’. It’s an eclectic mix, including songs by Dylan and Cohen; The Stone Roses’ ‘I Wanna Be Adored’; Malcolm McLaren’s ‘Madame Butterfly’; Lindsay Buckingham’s ‘Trouble’ – songs with strong melodies and incisive lyrics, and that set the musical mood for the headliners.
The room is rammed by the time The Leaning take to the stage for what has turned out to be another sell-out gig. The five-piece launch into the song that kicked it all off for us, ‘Surf And Destroy’, with its solemn pace and Sam Jordan’s sonorous vocals. A seascape of “velvet sand” and “foam of waves” is depicted, but there is more beyond the mere physical: “Beneath the mirror is a world of savagery, where nothing is forbidden… Without the land and no money in your hand, you could glide beyond division. Surf and destroy all things.” This is dark, evocative music that has the crowd swaying appreciatively; some smiling, their eyes closed.
‘Long Lost Lagoon’, with its shimmering harmonies, explores the same imagery of sea and sand, while once again suggesting that there is something there to be attained if we can but “Live beyond the blind”. ‘Beyond The Second Door’ comes next, a gorgeous number which builds and builds, the rolling chug and layers of harmony recalling Fleet Foxes; then ‘Somewhere To Fall’, which starts delicately, slowly grows, before reaching a climax of crashing guitars. Next up is ‘Behind Curtains’, which we’re told is their new single, to be released next week.
As the set continues, words like “melancholic”, “yearning” and even “doom-laden” spring to mind, yet paradoxically, the cumulative effect is uplifting. Like Joy Division at their very best, any downbeat emotional response is more than offset by a growing sense of euphoria as each songs builds. And this is particularly the case with the song they end with, ‘Voices’, with its beautiful melody and lyrics that suggest pain and loss – “it’s the voice in the dark” – but that are ultimately redeemed by love.
There is another track the band has released that has caught our attention. ‘Good Pain’ it’s called, a seemingly paradoxical title which somehow encapsulates their work, dealing as it does with the vulnerability of love and the constant striving towards something better. “I’m always feeling lost, from a place I never was, a place I’ll go with you… The greatest change. Good pain.” It’s a wonderful song, yet tonight they have not played it and afterwards, having congratulated the band on a great set, we ask them why? Ez Stone smiles. “You’ll have to come along to see us again at next year’s Great Escape.” After tonight’s performance, we’ll certainly be there.
Hope & Ruin, Saturday 26th November 2022
