Montreal Jazz Fest Roundup: Sean Lennon, Besnard Lakes, Patrick Watson

Various Venues

Montreal, QC

on Jun 30 2007

Erik Leijon (CHARTattack)

07/12/2007 3:30pm

A festival built on second- and third-generation jazzmen paying respect to what's generally a musical genre living only in historical tribute wasn't the best venue for Sean Lennon to spread his wings and fly beyond the legacy left by everyone's favourite Liverpudlian musical hero.

In the Montreal International Jazz Festival, where music fans fully expect the performers to glowingly show affection for the past (usually of the Miles Davis variety), young Lennon could have found himself in the awkward position of facing a crowd of 1,000 yuppies clamouring for something akin to the hit-and-miss (although thoroughly sycophantic) Paul Simon tribute of last year.

Thankfully, not only is Lennon humble, but one can't help but root for him to succeed in spite of impossible odds. At 31 years old, this singer-songwriter has developed into an excellent, comfortable performer, so much so that by the end of his 90-minute performance, the polite and perhaps even slightly rambunctious Spectrum audience understood that this was no mere Julian.

There are subtle comparisons to be made between Sean and his famous Beatle father, including the physical similarities and thick-rimmed glasses. There are even minor vocal characteristics, especially Sean's high-pitched falsetto, which conjures memories of the most dreamy Beatles ballads.

For those unaware of his recent album, Friendly Fire, the music owes more to new-age dreamy popsters Zero 7 than the Fab Four. What quickly became apparent early in his set, which included nearly all of Friendly Fire and one track from 1998's more alt.rock-influenced Into The Sun (album opener "Mystery Juice"), is how Lennon's music is centred around his soft, tremulous vocals.

It's not that he isn't self-assured on stage or that he's a weak singer, but he purposely sings with a pretty coo that perfectly captures the winding and mysterious element of his band's chill-out sound. Lennon played guitar (both electric and acoustic) accompanied by an additional guitarist, bass, drums and former Cibo Matto star Yuka Honda on keyboards/synths, and the band weren't afraid to stretch out some of the record's better numbers into near My Morning Jacket-esque jams. His T-Rex cover, the completely rebuilt "Would I Be The One," is one of the best tracks on Friendly Fire because of the slow-building instrumental passage at the end of the song.

While the rest of the album lacks that certain punch, Lennon and his band eagerly brought the right attitude and musical skill to every song during the live performance. Each track felt released from the shackles of the record's Starbucks-sterile production and came alive on stage.

The crowd voraciously applauded the entire second half and were rewarded with an unexpected treat for an encore. Lennon invited two friends, mother-daughter team Kate McGarrigle and Martha Wainwright, to perform a playful rendition of the Beach Boys' "Surfer Girl," with Lennon hitting the high notes and only McGarrigle on the piano for instrumentation. Playing a famous tune by The Beatles' chief musical rivals and performing it in such a laid-back manner with Montreal music royalty perfectly encapsulated Lennon's modesty and infectiously fun stage presence. Something tells me the next time Lennon comes to Montreal, music fans won't be caught off-guard.

A few nights later, it seemed more than 1,000 sweltering fans packed like sardines into the usually spacious Metropolis for what would be a true coming out party for Montreal/California singer-songwriter Patrick Watson. This was one of those Jazz Fest shows where the performance, coupled with the fanaticism shown by the fans (both old and converted), spilled out onto the street afterward. Pretty soon, even the laziest radio hack in the city won't stop playing "The Great Escape" alongside the other yuppie discovery of 2007, Arcade Fire's "Keep The Car Running."

When The Besnard Lakes came on around 8:45 p.m., Metropolis was already beyond capacity. The band's The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse couples the trippiness of Pink Floyd's "Echoes" with the serene melodies of the Beach Boys. The live set, which lasted 45 minutes, managed to both highlight their proficencies and expose a few potential weaknesses. The Lakes' best moments came when the songs changed quickly and without warning from languid to all-out rock. This was best demonstrated during the second song of the set, "Devastation," and majestic closer "And You Lied To Me."

Patrick Watson, whose Close To Paradise was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize this week, plays a more subdued version of expansive, orchestral rock. Both of Watson's records are quiet, and his trembling vocals rarely emerge above a soft mumble. That's why, at first glance, it may be hard to identify the differences between Watson and your typical emotive young male troubadour, since his albums don't capture the carefree spirit that his live shows do. From his easygoing stage banter to the more varying vocal range, Watson looked more comfortable on stage in contrast to his muted albums. He even cracked a few jokes when he spilt his beer on his expensive grand piano.

Another secret weapon not evident in his studio output is guitarist Simon Angell, whose playing recalls Bends-era Jonny Greenwood. Some songs included a tuba and two trombonists, and Montreal singer Lhasa De Sela sang a duet with Watson as well. Maybe it wasn't so much a coming out party for Watson, but rather the culmination of the city's long-standing love affair with the young singer-songwriter.

The Jazz Fest fans were celebrating another great local talent who appears ready to cross the threshold from well-kept secret to worldwide star. Watson reciprocated their kindness, pulling out a new song: the brilliant, xylophone-propelled "Midnight Express." He also stood in the centre of the crowd to sing "Man Under The Sea" without a microphone to a silent and awe-struck crowd.