Review: I’m With Her, The Station

The women of the Americana three piece I’m With Her arrived in town with amused tales of toll booth attendants called Nigel… not a name frequently heard in their home states apparently. Here on the back of their kindly reviewed, and locally recorded, debut album, See You Around, Aoife O’Donovan, Sara Watkins and Sarah Jarosz set about entertaining The Station audience. This is a supergroup of sorts—Grammy nominated and alternative American folk royalty with their histories in Crooked Still, Nikel Creek and solo releases.

They produce musicianship of the highest order. Banjos, guitars, fiddles and ukuleles sweetly weave in and out. Complex time signatures are effortlessly negotiated. And then there are the harmonies. My what harmonies. Listening to them I found myself flicking through my imagined record collection of harmonising greats, stopping off at the brothers Wilson at their Beach Boy finest or the first Crosby, Stills and Nash album as reference points for what we heard tonight. They gathered round their shared microphone taking turns as solo leads, but it’s when they sing in unison that angels are heard.

Tonight’s set is mostly made up of a run through the new album. Well-judged covers from the rich seam of great American singer songwriters are represented by tunes from Jim Croce and John Hiatt. Their set is a history lesson of the American folk tradition whose musical styles are referenced and, sometimes within the same song, seamlessly skipped away from.  When they touch on their Irish influences, during their delightful cover of Vasen’s Hasse A’s, the bar staff break out into energetic Michael Flatley moves in tribute.

If there is any reservation, it is that it is all a little polite. This is American folk music born in the conservatory rather than the dustbowl. To hear some of the edges may at times be nicer. If your local record shop unusually had a section marked coffee-table bluegrass, I’m With Her could happily sit there. I found myself wondering if they are only a well-selected cover version or a finely crafted pop hook away from enjoying a Norah Jones style crossover success, selling records to the sort of people who only buy one album a year.

Despite this there is real passion and power in this music. Aofie Donovan’s soulful vocal on Apple Tree brings warm applause from the audience and is the set’s first real highlight. They end the night performing a couple of gospel tinged tunes, Hornets and Overland, from the centre of the hall, allowing the audience a close glimpse (which many had been denied by the unfortunately low stage) of the delightful instrumental and vocal interplay between these supremely talented women. Next time they are in town ask them for their recommendation for the best smoothies in Bristol. They know all about that too.