live @ Truck Store 24/10/26

Amongst this decade’s folk revivers, Clara Mann is one of the newest and best. Anyone who hears her voice will be immediately reminded of Bridget St. John, with whom she shares a clear, soft and rich tone. Of her contemporaries, her sound bears a resemblance to that of Elanor Moss. Mann’s new album, aptly titled Wishbone, dwells upon the strong and the frail, and the love and companionship within both states of being. With eleven tracks, it is her second album to date following last year’s Rift.

Wishbone‘s cover is a brightly lit Mann against an inky background. The songs in it are solemn, inwardly focused, like staring at a candle in a darkened room. Her album release show at Truck last Saturday was the first live performance of these songs. Gusts of 30mph threatened every tree and umbrella, rain beat down on the pavements relentlessly as I walked to the venue. The shop’s wooden floors glittered slightly with the rain from people’s coats, and condensation blurred the brightness of neon signs and bus headlights outside. Mann’s music is warm and gentle; Truck’s little stage, lit by yellow incandescent bulbs, couldn’t have been a more fitting place for it. The album has gorgeous orchestration, but Mann held up with just her acoustic guitar and that lovely, viola-like voice.

Mann has an excellent ability to see the ‘bright’ side of things, evidenced by her quipping during the set. She shared stories about her childhood, making this album, and love, with great wit and humour. With the audience crammed into the corner in front of the bar, she made the set conversational rather than contemplative, making the most of the intimate space. Mann even complained at one point of sets that didn’t allow her to talk between songs. As I walked home in that black weather, with my CD of Wishbone stashed in my soggy canvas bag, I felt like I carried a bit of sparkle back with me – and not just because of the bright, silver sharpie she’d used to sign it.

Florrie Fenn