Have A Heart

Thursday night at the Great Hall, country singer Lindi Ortega had her album release party. There was already a good crowd at 9 pm for opener North Cote. The hirsute singer had a gruff voice and sang songs that sat somewhere between new country and indie rock. He reminded me of Tom Cochrane in his delivery and material. Most songs mined personal experiences whether back in his hometown of Regina (Counting Down The Days), working in a casino in Victoria BC (A Thousand Nights) or the death of his grandfather (Wheels). I appreciated the quiet honesty but the arrangements were forgettable.

Lindi Ortega started her set with Tin Star, off her new album of the same name. A personal reflection on her struggle to break into the music business in Nashville ("No billboard hits//No sold out nights"). Perhaps it was her parents in the balcony, but she admitted to being a bit emotional at the end of the song. Her Parton-esque quaver served her well on old numbers which leaned country (Cigarettes and Truckstop). The new songs had country tunes, too (Waitin' On My Luck To Change) but some carried more of a rock sound (Voodoo Mama, I Want You). She ventured over to the piano for two ballads: Songs About and a cover of Desperado. James Robertson kept the set lively with his wide range of lead guitar techniques from slide guitar, rockabilly picking, growling rock, or atmospheric pedal effects.