Live Review: The Head & The Heart, Mosman Alder

The Monday after Splendour In The Grass might be a write-off for many of our northern neighbours but, for us Melburnians, it’s a night where the sideshows come to town. Brisbane six-piece Mosman Alder might not have gotten a gig at Splendour this year, but the promise they show tonight suggests they’ll be making a play for a slot at the festival down the track. Although their concoction of two guitars, drums, violin, tinny-sounding keyboard, distorting bass and four voices struggle to find any consistency, it all comes together about five songs in. The various instruments start to complement rather than combat each other and vocal duties are shared around as opposed to lying on top of each other.

On the odd occasion that Marion Cotillard-lookalike Robyn Dawson sings it gives us all an excuse to swoon and there is a baroque sound to tracks such as the sweeping, epic Tokyo 1933. Finishing with their latest single Germland, amidst some heckling from a certain Paul Dempsey in the crowd, there’s no doubt Mosman Alder are on the up.

Seattle’s The Head & The Heart kick-start their set with a Cats And Dogs-into-Coeur D’Alene double whammy, immediately getting the crowd onside. From there, the band traverse their two albums, playing what seems like every song they’ve ever recorded for over 100 minutes. Homecoming Heroes, Ghosts and Cruel give the three vocalists a chance to lay their impressive harmonies out for all to hear. The rest of the band back them up ably, drummer Tyler Williams especially enthusiastic with tambourine in hand.

The Head & The Heart have found success even though they are not a band filled with especially talented individual musicians. Sure, Jonathan Russell has a great voice, but the band play to their strengths when they pool their collective talents into listener-friendly arrangements that deliver live. Winter Song and set highlight Rivers And Roads are stretched out and rearranged well beyond the confines of their recorded versions, the latter closing the set and demonstrating Charity Rose-Thielen’s soulful chops in the process.

A five-song encore makes for more aural pleasure, especially the beautiful final number Down In The Valley. It’s a surprisingly late finish but, with the local and international talent on show tonight, it’s certainly worth the anticipated dusty start tomorrow morning.