Gig review: McIntosh Ross

Published on Sunday 8 November 2009 20:40

ORAN MOR, GLASGOW ****

ASIDE from displaying all the imagination of an estate agents firm when it came to naming this project, Lorraine McIntosh and Ricky Ross – the husband and wife team at the core of Scots pop rock favourites Deacon Blue – have opened a faucet of fine ideas in their first outing together as a duo, and realised them consummately.

They've explored Americana influences from both East and West coasts on the album The Great Lakes, which was written and recorded in Los Angeles with a cast of local musicians. It seems to have struck a strong chord with listeners – Oran Mor was about as packed as this reviewer has seen the place.

They swapped lead vocals about, and when not on point supported each other with stirring close harmonies. The duo's best song – sunny country number All My Trust I Place In You – is a piece of expert craftsmanship that exemplifies exactly why Ross has made a good living away from Deacon Blue writing songs for other people (Will Young, James Blunt and Ronan Keating are among his clients).

Just to make sure the point was sufficiently driven home that across the Atlantic is where the duo's hearts lie right now, the encore Jesus Nailed My Sins Upon the Tree saw Ross and McIntosh plus their four backing musicians form a horseshoe around the mic to harmonise as a group in a mournful southern gospel style. "I believe!" exclaimed one punter, capturing the mood, however impolitely.