One of the joys of following along with Portals’ ongoing traveling showcase Living Spaces has been the ability to not only to discover new artists I haven’t seen before but to engage with those who’ve made their mark previously play in smaller, more intimate venues. The fact that it’s with a bunch of people just as receptive and excited to be there is a definite plus. One such artist – singer/songwriter Julie Byrne (whose beautiful record Rooms With Walls and Windows helped ring in the new year) is one of those artists I’ve been able to catch multiple times mostly in part to Portals’ shared love of her.
While there’s no word yet on whether or not a new Julie Byrne record is in the works, those in attendance at the inaugural Living Spaces show at Brooklyn’s The Silent Barn were in for a treat. First, Byrne went electric. Secondly, Byrne captivated the crowd with a new track by the name of “Natural Blue” and while no one caught it at the time, Byrne was able to commit it to tape (or in this case video) when she flew across the pond to play at this year’s Green Man Festival.
“Natural Blue” is one part beguiling folk idyll and one part showpiece – not in that it’s all flashy but the nature of its very construction spotlights the absolute beauty of Byrne’s vocals that are perfectly complimentary to the nature-invoking travelogue/love song. It’s stunningly simplistic; virtually unadorned and entrancing solely on the virtues of Byrne’s ineffable talent but a wonderful example of what is so magical about Byrne as a performer.
