Hiss Golden Messenger, The Borderline, 19th May 2014. The great joy about music for me is sharing new bands with your friends. Only a month or so ago my three amigos that joined me at the Borderline last night had probably not heard a single note by Michael Taylor, AKA Hiss Golden Messenger. Based on my recommendations, and a combination of You Tube, Spotify and burnt CDs the foolhardy trio agreed to come with me. And HGM did not let me down. There’s something very moving about watching a talented singer/songwriter alone on stage in an intimate venue with just an acoustic guitar as company. The ability to play the bass line and rhythm and over lay that with the melody with just a plectrum and no effects pedals always amazes me. That’s down to my musical naivety and frustration that I can’t play myself.
A respectful audience just let the man play and he rewarded us with a good selection of songs form across his back catalogue. He had tweeted earlier for suggestions to the set and I’m pleased that my selection ‘Jesus shot me in the head’ got an airing. He has a smooth honeyed voice in the style of fellow troubadour, Neal Casal and intersperses the tunes with witty asides that can often be uncomfortable silences from less confident performers.
A tribute to the late Jason Molina with a cover of Magnolia Electric Company’s ‘What comes after the Blues’ near the end of the set is especially poignant. The night ends, there’s no encore, no fuss just an entertaining evening watching a gifted musician doing his stuff. He leaves us with promises to return with the band later in the year and we all agree it’s one for the diaries