Whether on her own with her trusty acoustic guitar in her regular gigs at Oxford's QI Club, or fronting a full amplified three piece with guest artists, there's no doubt about one thing: Chantelle Pike can SING. If you've been at any of her gigs over the past few years, you'll probably have caught yourself wondering what she was doing in Oxford. In the audience tonight there was conjecture that 2007 could be the year Ms Pike is picked up by a major label, and whilst it will be sad to lose her to greener pastures, I have to agree that it seems highly likely.
Providing strong support at this launch of Chantelle's first, long awaited EP were local lads Mark Crozer and Barnabas. Mark is a capable guitarist with a distinctive style, and his material is dark and brooding - but one can't help feeling that he's a bandless frontman tonight. (He won't be bandless for long, however, as he's off to California to play guitar for the Jesus & Mary Chain in their first tour in 9 years.) His self-deprecating style is charming, and he warms up well for Barnabas, who provides his own band by means of cello, guitar and loop station. His layering of delicate riffs and clever use of timing and dynamics creates waves of textured sound - his frail, haunting vocal floating on top or digging deep beneath. The room is noticeably quieter as the elbow-to-elbow audience listens in awe. This chap too seems destined for wider recognition, and when not gigging on his own behalf is a busy session musician for some sizeable names these days, so no surprises there. Indeed, one of those names is Pike's, as Barny plays on Isabella, one of Chantelle's best-loved tunes.
At last Ms Pike and band herself take the stage. With her trademark wellies and big red guitar, she creates a big impression for a diminutive redhead, and has a big sound to go with it. She's in belting-it-out voice tonight, as the drums (Joachim Greve) are as loud, crisp and poppy as the basslines (Matt Halliday) are jazzy and intricate. It's hard to define the style - a little bit country (with some fantastic slide guitar from Nigel OneDollarPeepShow on Dropping Stitches), a little bit mainstream pop (the strength and ornamentation in her vocals can be reminiscent of Anastacia and other big voices), a little bit folk (the Corrs?)...it's a mix that you could hear on Radio 2 between Keane and Cara Dillon any day of the week. For me though, the most striking tracks still remain those for which she is alone on the stage with her acoustic, and which, sadly, don't appear on the new four track EP. Guardian Angel, a gem of a song with a pretty counterpoint guitar part tripping along beneath a simple melody which Chantelle manipulates to show off her vocal dexterity to great effect. Though short, it's one of Chantelle's most complete-sounding tunes, creating a sweetly sincere vignette of vulnerability and determination in the face of the world with a total absence of lyrical polyfilla. (Lyrical mention must also go to her longstanding co-writer, Timm Green, who must share the credit with Chantelle tonight.) I hope that her first album - presumably in the pipeline - can accommodate this rather different, intimate style.
The EP is £5, and can be purchased via chantellepike.com, where you can also find out that Ms Pike will be playing at QI on Feb 18. She also has a myspace page, as do Barnabas (/greetingshello) and Mark Crozer (/markcrozer). They are all well worth a visit.
Providing strong support at this launch of Chantelle's first, long awaited EP were local lads Mark Crozer and Barnabas. Mark is a capable guitarist with a distinctive style, and his material is dark and brooding - but one can't help feeling that he's a bandless frontman tonight. (He won't be bandless for long, however, as he's off to California to play guitar for the Jesus & Mary Chain in their first tour in 9 years.) His self-deprecating style is charming, and he warms up well for Barnabas, who provides his own band by means of cello, guitar and loop station. His layering of delicate riffs and clever use of timing and dynamics creates waves of textured sound - his frail, haunting vocal floating on top or digging deep beneath. The room is noticeably quieter as the elbow-to-elbow audience listens in awe. This chap too seems destined for wider recognition, and when not gigging on his own behalf is a busy session musician for some sizeable names these days, so no surprises there. Indeed, one of those names is Pike's, as Barny plays on Isabella, one of Chantelle's best-loved tunes.
At last Ms Pike and band herself take the stage. With her trademark wellies and big red guitar, she creates a big impression for a diminutive redhead, and has a big sound to go with it. She's in belting-it-out voice tonight, as the drums (Joachim Greve) are as loud, crisp and poppy as the basslines (Matt Halliday) are jazzy and intricate. It's hard to define the style - a little bit country (with some fantastic slide guitar from Nigel OneDollarPeepShow on Dropping Stitches), a little bit mainstream pop (the strength and ornamentation in her vocals can be reminiscent of Anastacia and other big voices), a little bit folk (the Corrs?)...it's a mix that you could hear on Radio 2 between Keane and Cara Dillon any day of the week. For me though, the most striking tracks still remain those for which she is alone on the stage with her acoustic, and which, sadly, don't appear on the new four track EP. Guardian Angel, a gem of a song with a pretty counterpoint guitar part tripping along beneath a simple melody which Chantelle manipulates to show off her vocal dexterity to great effect. Though short, it's one of Chantelle's most complete-sounding tunes, creating a sweetly sincere vignette of vulnerability and determination in the face of the world with a total absence of lyrical polyfilla. (Lyrical mention must also go to her longstanding co-writer, Timm Green, who must share the credit with Chantelle tonight.) I hope that her first album - presumably in the pipeline - can accommodate this rather different, intimate style.
The EP is £5, and can be purchased via chantellepike.com, where you can also find out that Ms Pike will be playing at QI on Feb 18. She also has a myspace page, as do Barnabas (/greetingshello) and Mark Crozer (/markcrozer). They are all well worth a visit.