Review: Bryget Chrisfield. Photos; Kate Arnott
The Double Feature Tour sees Sarah Blasko performing her first two albums – 2004’s The Overture & The Underscore and 2006’s What The Sea Wants, The Sea Shall Have – in their entirety. Both of these albums are now available on vinyl, for the first time.
Backed by her long-standing backing band – pianist/guitarist David Hunt, bassist David Symes, multi-instrumentalist Neal Sutherland and drummer Laurence Pike – Blasko’s stunning vocals encapsulate the human experience; joy and devastation in equal measure.
Blasko looks elegant in a structured black minidress with crisp white collar and thick black tights. Later in the show, she jests, “Yes, I’m still wearing thick tights and telling stupid jokes.” Blasko occasionally supplies percussive flourishes, picking up a melodica, shaker or tambourine in the nick of time.
We develop a deeper appreciation of these songs thanks to the insights Blasko peppers throughout. Always Worth It was inspired by “the concept that life is difficult, but also worth living”, she reveals. After performing Beautiful Secrets, Blasko labels it “a judgemental song” – probably judgmental about herself, she clarifies, before explaining she got married aged 21 (to her first boyfriend, no less) and was divorced by the time she was 27. Of At Your Best, Blasko admits, “This song makes me feel a bit awkward, when I think of the girl that I was.”
Despite its deceptively upbeat tempo, Don’t U Eva aches with longing – those forlorn keys! The crowd goes wild for this one. Blasko then gives a shout-out to Robert F. Cranny, who co-wrote both of these records. She later informs us Cranny wrote Perfect Now when he was just 16!
Her soaring vocalisations – fragile and vulnerable, yet also fierce – close out True Intentions. We’re then treated to Long Time: the softly strummed, meditative “secret track” that appeared on The Overture & The Underscore CD.
Following intermission, scattered audience members cheer upon recognising For You’s measured, discordant, Björk-esque keys intro. Then Blasko reappears in a shimmering, black floor-length gown. Instrumentally, What The Sea Wants, The Sea Shall Have’s opening track evokes Radiohead. The Garden’s End brings the house down, especially Blasko’s ethereal vocalising at song’s close.
These arrangements are intricate, but never cluttered. During The Albatross, we marvel at Pike’s deft drumming. Spotlights illuminate featured musicians while they play, with Blasko bookended by two keyboardists at one point.
After acknowledging that piano is still her favourite instrument, Blasko recollects her quirky Planet New Year music video, during which she dates, marries and even has kids with a piano.
Sarah Blasko – Planet New Year (Official Music Video)
During Planet New Year’s breakdown, Blasko takes a seat at the piano to supply additional keys much to the audience’s delight. “Feeling like the first to have wasted all God’s time/ Waking with the birds, they’re falling from the sky…” – here, Blasko’s vocal line flits around like a carefree butterfly.
Her sublime, god-given instrument opens up endless melodic possibilities and we can’t imagine anyone else on the planet singing these songs – some of which haven’t been performed live for 20 years – with such poignance and understated grace. We’d go so far as to say she’s Australia’s answer to Kate Bush, but minus the contemporary dance element.
Hammer culminates in distant, mass BVs – ably supplied by her band bros – and is just about as rock as Blasko gets. The minimally backed, crestfallen penultimate track Showstopper is a set highlight. Following the heart-aching closer, I Could Never Belong To You, we all leap to our feet as Blasko and co. receive the standing ovation they so richly deserve.
The majesty of Blasko’s vocals needs to be experienced live to be believed, otherwise one could be forgiven for suspecting studio trickery.
Tonight, Blasko also revealed there’s a new album in the works, which is music to our ears.
