Dawn Mitschele is one of San Diego magazine’s ‘People to Watch’ and she has recently released her first album, 'In The Moonlight'. She played, accompanied by Two Spot Gobi’s Rob Lewis on cello, earlier this month at The Bowery, straight off the plane. If you like uncomplicated singer songwriters then you should have been there.
The cello made an important counterpoint to her acoustic guitar and voice, as she delivered some new songs plus two off the album ('Water' and 'Dominoes') with an easy good humour, in spite of the rather small crowd. Mitschele gives the impression that nothing much phases her and this confidence is voiced in her songs which take a wry but slightly distanced view of well, love chiefly.
I liked the chain reaction evoked in 'Dominoes' where everyone is falling for somebody else and an unhappy outcome is predicted. And the awkward situation of 'Once And Again Friend' was pretty familiar and a bit uncomfortable. But I guess that’s the point of this music – it is supposed, when it’s good, to make you feel a bit uneasy, even while you bask in its simplicity.
So despite myself, I found myself being drawn into the various complicated situations referenced in the songs and ended by being impressed by the persona on stage. As artists from Leadbelly to Neil Young (take your pick – those are just two of my very favourites) have proven, the Troubadour is a potent formula and Dawn Mitschele may or may not reach those heights but she is very convincing in the role.
DOWNLOAD: Dawn Mitschele - 'Dominoes' (Live At Jitter's)
DOWNLOAD: Dawn Mitschele - 'Water' (Live At Jitter's)
'In The Moonlight' is available to purchase at Amazon.co.uk, iTunes etc. Thanks to Archive.org for providing the live downloads.
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