Ellen Smith, still a little shy of a crowd, lost one, maybe two songs from her set anxiously retuning a new Takamine acoustic guitar borrowed from Kings of Leon after the intended instrument had been destroyed in a fall from a van (did I hear that story right?). It was endearing and human and the crowd warmed protectively towards her. But the episode did expose the alarming speed at which new talent is exposed these days. Ellen and the Escapades only emerged last year and their fresh and homely sound is still at an impressionable, developing stage.Their strong centre is a first set of real life songs with classic dimensions. The main attractions are Ellen's distinctive voice and her smiling friendliness. The band around her play a comfortable (fairly predictable) set of arrangements that evoke much earlier and more innocent times. The sound is just right for a Friday afternoon in the open air. There's love in the air and it could easily be 1967.
The single "Without You" evokes early Fairport Convention's pioneering discovery of country rock - the song is that good. The wistful waltz of "Run" is dreamily exquisite. Ellen's determined northern vowels ("what goes around cooms around") put her in stalwart alliance with Kate Rusby and Rachel Unthank. The future looks good.
