Music
Justin Currie and the RSNO
Paisley Abbey
Keith Bruce
four stars
FRONTMAN of Del Amitri and solo artiste Justin Currie is a genial and droll chap, but you might not guess as much from his songs. Give the opportunity to work with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in the huge acoustic of the Abbey, he deliberately stuck to his slower material, although even the quicker ones are rarely upbeat.
As is an established part of these Paisley Spree Festival events, the other crucial ingredient in the mix was the skill of conductor John Logan, who writes the arrangements for the annual assignations between the orchestra and top Scottish rock and pop talent. This date will stand as one of the finest of the series because of the care taken in choosing the material, the tonal range of Currie's songs and the measured approach of Logan's arrangements. If the singer feigned surprise that he was getting away with it, those who have seen him strut his stuff with a big band, command a rock arena, or hold a small room in silence know better.
With guitarist Stuart Nesbit adding some beautiful playing on lap and pedal steel and Gibson semi-acoustic, the required nod to the band years included Always the Last to Know and Nothing Ever Happens. But the stand outs were from his solo catalogue, and in particular new song Cry Babies and I Love the Sea, unveiled earlier this summer at Kelvingrove, and which had touch of The Bad Seeds' Warren Ellis in Nesbit's additions. It was The Fight to Be Human, from the 2010 album The Great War, that gave the singer and orchestra the chance to stretch out on Logan's beautifully constructed arrangement – and provided the climax that the whole evening was building to.
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