Pop songstress Christina Courtin displays versatility at Tralf
The imprint that pop songstress Christina Courtin left on her hometown could be measured by the young group of admirers who attended her seated show Friday night in the Tralf.
About a dozen members of the advanced ensemble of Buffalo Suzuki Strings, where Courtin studied, came to the downtown club to hear their hero’s carefully wrapped mix of folk-rock, pop and jazz-flavored songs.
Along with the young maestros were Courtin’s parents, Margaret and Damian, there to celebrate the end of the Courtin’s cross-country tour in support of her self-titled June debut on Nonesuch Records.
And during the homecoming, we heard varied selections, including the down-home country twang of “Foreign Country,” the dark lament of “Laconia,” and “All You Had to Do Was Ask,” which brought out her inner Joan Jett.
On “Laconia,” especially, we saw how mercurial she could be. Her facial expression went from a sweet hide-it-all smile to a pained grimace as she sang about a New Hampshire town she hates.
Courtin alternated between dueting with guitarist Ryan Scott on delicate lures and rocking out with members of opening act Elizabeth & The Catapult on guitar, bass and drums.
Her violin, which Courtin started playing at age 4, made brief but accentuating appearances.
Much like multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird—who came through town last week — Courtin could easily fit her violin within a broader pop-rock context.
Like fellow New York City dweller Regina Spektor, Courtin — in a stunning vintage red dress — crooned and modulated her voice to fit whatever the music of Western civilization can throw at her.
But Courtin would be the first to tell you she’s not a jazz singer—and her MySpace page has a colorful disclaimer conveying this.
Elizabeth (of Catapult fame) had the same doe-eyed wonder of Zooey Deschanel and carried the same sweet lilt of the actress’ indie folk duet with M. Ward, called She & Him.
On its first visit to Buffalo, the Catapult earned extra points by nicely wrapping up its set with a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Everybody Knows.”
But Courtin’s young cheering section—amid a sea of finely coiffed hipster do’s, salt-and-pepper heads and one pumpkin hat (belonging to school music director Mary Cay Neal)—was there to see a local woman who’s done well.
And maybe there’s another Christina Courtin among them who will take his or her classical training, and blaze a path all their own.
Concert Review
Christina Courtin
Friday evening in the Tralf Music Hall.
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