JEFF KLEIN may have been sick but was greeted by a very healthy crowd at The Borderline last week. Despite a long and intensive tour, he was still cheerful and proved himself a strikingly gruff and scruffy antidote for anyone suffering from manufactured-music-industry-blues.
With an endearing streak of self-deprecating humour, his assured and relaxed stage presence was delightful to watch. His incredibly growly voice contrasted with his sweet acoustic guitar, through a set which ranged from the dark country sound of ‘Goodbye’, to the popular and heartfelt ballad ‘Take The Wheels'.
Jacob Schultz added an extra dimension to the sound with sparkly swooping electric guitar, and occasional keyboard, without detracting from the simplicity of Klein’s heartfelt, genuine songs. The pair built up an amazing energy throughout the set which peaked with a raucous guitar solo from Schultz in ‘Another Breakdown’, and in Klein’s most famous song ‘Five Good Reasons’ which closed the set with undeniable panache.
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With high notes reminiscent of the Counting Crows singer Adam Duritz, Klein stirred us with shouts where we could almost see all the way down his inflamed throat, and lulled us with husky whispers through the gorgeous ‘Holding The World’, and lovely songs like ‘Lower Down’. Jeff Klein is definitely on the way up, and so is his album ‘Everybody Loves A Winner’, out now on ‘One Little Indian Records’.
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