LISSIE at the Phoenix, Saturday, May 28. Rating: NNN
Though Lissie’s debut LP, Catching a Tiger, sanded down the edges of her alt-country sound, her live show is charmingly raw.
Stripped down to a trio, including Lewis Keller doing double duty on bass and drums, Lissie’s Toronto show demonstrated what made her so appealing in the first place: her freckled Midwestern charm, ramshackle intensity and her rich, twangy voice.
Singing herself sweaty, chatting humbly with the crowd and generally treating the Phoenix like a much smaller venue, Lissie hinted that she could one day be a star performer. All she needs is stronger material to support. A few tracks were worthy of her talent, but many strayed a tad too far into MOR adult alternative territory.
It’s no surprise, then, that Lissie’s most impressive moment came via a cover. Her exceptional, straight-faced take on Kid Cudi’s Pursuit of Happiness would have threatened to overshadow her own songs if she hadn’t smartly saved it for last.
Read an interview with Lissie here.
