Day two of CityFolk Fest in Ottawa brought us the likes of Canadian acts, Walk Off The Earth, Wintersleep, and North Carolina’s, The Avett Brothers, but it was Toronto duo, Scarlett Jane, who stole everyone’s hearts with their heartfelt songs and on-stage chemistry.
Musicians Andrea Ramolo and Cindy Doire decided to take a tangent from their respective solo careers and joined forces in 2011. Their two full length albums, Stranger (2012, remixed/remastered in 2014), and the newly released, Scarlett Jane, tell the tales of love, loss, heartbreak, and reflections of life on the road together. The tracks from both albums display their mutual influences of country, folk, roots, pop, and rock, but are painted over in ambient tones that give the music an atmospheric quality. All are unique, well-written, piano/guitar-based songs, drenched in passionate, memorable, and mood-stimulating melodies.
Today, the girls went to work on a busy succession of performances in Ottawa, with radio and TV spots earlier in the day, followed by two back-to-back shows at CityFolk this evening. Their first show on the Ravenlaw Stage drew in a large crowd made up of some who were already familiar with Scarlett Jane, and some who wandered in after being lulled by the music.
I had already fallen in love with many of their songs, but seeing them performed live for the first time completely magnified my listening experience. The two dark-haired beauties, with guitars in hand, swept away the audience with their tightly-knit harmonies and gorgeous minor-chorded melodies. They shared selections from their current album, and a few from their first, such as “Wild Fire”…a song in ode to Andrea’s grandmother, which took them to the semi-finals of the renowned International Songwriting Competition. “Come Around”, reeled me in with its sorrowful croon, and gripping chorus. Cindy’s warm lower harmonies underneath Andrea’s harder-edged melody line blended in beautiful contrast that crept immediately under my skin.
Later, inside the Aberdeen Pavilion, we were treated to another performance, this time on a more intimate level that included a live interview, which allowed the girls to describe the stories and experiences behind their songs. Cindy jumped on the keyboard for “Broken Open”, a song about the vulnerability of being in love. It ebbed and flowed through its passionate and tender melody, as Andrea’s voice led the way through the verses. Cindy stayed put on the keys for “We All Just Wanna Be Loved”, one of my favourites with its minor-scaled melancholiness, yearning lyrics, and earworm-inducing chorus.
“Burning Up”, one of the final pieces in the set, was one that Andrea cheekily professed, “…my mother loves, and Cindy’s mother hates…”, most likely due to the sensual content of the lyrics. The song’s pure passion was highlighted in the breathy timbres of their voices, with stunning harmonies against minimal instrumentation that later built into a fiery ending. Andrea showed some impressive dexterity, as she sang, played guitar, and kept up a counter foot-stomping rhythm on her electronic percussion board.
Scarlett Jane continue on their cross-Canada tour, but will be heading back this way for a November 8th performance at The Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield. For more info on Scarlett Jane, please visit their website.
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