James Vincent McMorrow
All Together Now
★★★★☆
“Thank you very much: this is beautiful,” James Vincent McMorrow says to the ever-growing crowd in front of the main stage at All Together Now as the sun sets on Friday. The Curraghmore estate is glowing in a ray of light peeking through black clouds that produced a torrent of showers earlier in the evening. As the Irish singer-songwriter kicks off the coveted 9pm slot with The Standard, from his new album, Wide Open, Horses, there are a few snap, crackle and pops from the sound system before everything settles down.
Rather than launch into a high-energy sprint, the 41-year-old begins with some pared-back but soaring guitar-led tracks, the blisteringly high notes of his trademark falsetto vocals reaching far enough across the festival site to draw more and more people to the arena. As the sky gets darker, punters nestle together and sway to McMorrow’s better-known songs, such as Red Dust, a bonus track from Early in the Morning, his 2010 debut album.
“I’m not going to do much talking, because I’ve got a lot of songs that I want to play,” the Dubliner says softly. Stay Cool, which is also from Wide Open, Horses, keeps a downtempo pace, while the catchy Give Up features a contribution from McMorrow’s six-year-old daughter.
Switching guitars with a flourish after nearly every track while dry ice and vibrant graphics build a more immersive atmosphere around him, McMorrow settles into a groove of old favourites. His hauntingly beautiful cover of Chris Isaak’s hit Wicked Game gets a spirited cheer before another debut-album throwback, We Don’t Eat, and Get Low, a standout from We Move, his 2016 album, continue the ambient blend of acoustic soundscapes and soft-rock notes. The deep guitar licks, thumping bass, hi hats and fluttering synths of the latter create a sense of fullness and depth that flow perfectly in a festival environment.
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The wispy, delicate vocals of If I Had a Boat and the twinkling Things We Tell Ourselves, from his latest album, showcase McMorrow’s knack for sourcing mood and melody, before Rising Water proves itself to be the best song of the set. A groovier bassline picks up the pace, turning into a bold pop/R&B gem the crowd can get behind within seconds. Kids in the front row, held up by their parents, and North American fans beside me sing along to every word. His audience, much like his seven LPs to date, is eclectic.
“Thank you so much for being lovely, enjoy Jorja Smith,” McMorrow declares after rounding out a rich Friday-evening performance with Cavalier, a single from Post Tropical, his 2013 album. Though typically suited to more intimate spaces where his distinct voice can make its mark on everyone in the room, the Irish artist has delivered a powerful set.
