via Mid West Action
Tyler Ramsey and the audience at his show were all about the music. He talked and held their attention with ease as he started to play the first song solo. For the next song, Brian Landrum joined him, bringing some pedal steel for “Cheap Summer Dress.” Simple and moving, Ramsey sang so softly his mouth barely moved. This song is a great example of one of the things I love about this album: Ramsey’s masterful use of a quick minor interval to convey unease and evoke a haunting quality to his songs. The performance left me with a light floating, melancholy feeling.
The full band joined him for the next song, jumping in at full force on “The Valley Wind,” a reworked version that was a little faster and had real punch to it–especially with drummer, Kevin Rumley. He did a lovely gentle shuffle when called for, but he rocked out when given the opportunity. Watching him wail and sing along was really a joy. The harmonies brought by Landrum and bass player, David Macinnes, left me with chills, especially at the end of “Your Whole Life.” But, it was an echo from the album, the seamless transition between the instrumental “Darkest Clouds” and “Firewood,” that really made me weak. They followed it with a delicious psych-tinted jam session in the middle of “Worried.”
Ramsey brought different flavors to his music. It made the live performance interesting while staying true to the song, almost like a perfect cover of his own work.
See the Gallery at MidWestAxn.com