Latitude 2016: MONEY

The vast array of instruments littering the Sunrise Arena for MONEY’s performance today pale in comparison to the range achieved by frontman and songwriter Jamie Lee’s voice; an instrument in itself capable of producing more variance and intrigue than any amount of instrumentation. Warbling, cracking and tumbling from high to low, Lee staggers in and out of range of his microphone, delivering the kind of power and raw emotion that carries without any need for amplification.

That’s not to say the band aren’t important; backed up by subtle string lines and tense guitar Lee’s vocals sit on a bed of soundscaping delicate enough to avoid intrusion but with complexity that adds to Lee’s penchant for finding the beauty in life’s darker moments.

Dark though the content is, it’s with a wry smile and affection from his bandmates that Lee performs. “This is our attempt to mash together The Velvet Underground and Joni Mitchell”, he jokes of penultimate track ‘Night Came’. Though unconvinced himself, based on today’s performance it’s actually a claim that would probably sit pretty well with both parties.