Into Live Music Review: The Golden Tree
Artist: The Golden Tree
Venue: Glasgow Mono
Dates: 21 November 2024
There is no doubt that twenty (or so) minute gigs can leave an indelible mark on the memory. Indeed, Monorail Music who are right next to Mono are putting on a Q&A (at Glasgow Film Theatre) with Jim and William Reid of The Jesus & Mary Chain on December fifth to discuss their recently published memoir, Never Understand. Likely to be discussed will be their infamous early gigs which rarely ran beyond twenty minutes before descending into chaos and carnage, with fists and feedback featuring in equal measure. Fast forward forty years and I can confirm that a set of similar length can still provide emotive moments of joy, beauty and delight that will live long in the conscience.
The Golden Tree are Robert Hodgens (The Bluebells/The Poems) and Grahame Skinner (Hipsway/The Cowboy Mouth) and they have already released a twelve track album of Scottish Songs Observed (think Johnny Cash American Recordings with a Scottish focus) covering songs from Marmalade to Texas to Gallagher & Lyle. A second album is on the way and will be released soon via the Last Night From Glasgow record label.
The gig was to celebrate the opening of the new Jimmy Egypt guitar shop which is only a couple of doors down from Mono and also featured the virtuoso gypsy jazz of Lennie’s Pennies and the old school rockabilly jazz of Baby Face Beltin’ Boys. Wryly, Skin introduced the set by noting The Golden Tree are an electronica based duo who don’t play guitars and here we are opening the show for a new six string shop!!
Six songs with three from the debut album and I assume three from the forthcoming release were warmly received. A version of Strawberry Switchblade’s Trees and Flowers opened the set with Bobby providing electronic wizardry to Skin’s deep and at times dark voice; the perfect foil. A slight mishap was encountered on their take on BMX Bandits Serious Drugs but a mix up on the lyrics was dealt with effortlessly.
It takes some chutzpah to put a new spin on Orange Juice but an audaciously bold Poor Old Soul was different, the electronica coming over in waves of sound, Skin’s baritone dripping with heartfelt emotion, a beautiful version. Finishing with Chelsea Girl was spot on, without doubt the highlight of the set.
The Golden Tree are on to something here, tapping into the rich tapestry of great Scottish music while providing their own twist on tunes that we all love. Who knows, perhaps a Jesus & Mary Chain track will be done before long, but mind lads, no guitars or feedback please!
Go check them out and you can order both albums from the Last Night From Glasgow website here.
For all your guitar based needs, head to Jimmy Egypt here.
John Welsh
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