Here's a rough draft of my Iris DeMent concert review that will run in the Creative Loafing that hits newsstands Aug. 8.
Iris DeMent w/Jason Wilber, Thurs. Aug, 2, Tampa Theatre
Iris DeMent delivered an emotive performance peppered with pleasant surprises. The crowd hung on her every word. Unlike at most concerts, the new songs elicited some of the strongest audiences responses of the evening.
Fans have been waiting anxiously for DeMent to release an album of fresh material for more than a decade. Following three critically acclaimed full-lengths released on Warner Bros. in the ‘90s, DeMent experienced a serious songwriting drought that has resulted in only one new original in 11 years — the ballad “He Reached Down,†which appears on her 2004 gospel album Lifeline, and was played Thursday.
DeMent, who spent most of the evening behind a grand piano, began the show on acoustic guitar with a spirited reading of the title-track to her 1996 album, The Way I Should. The song, which is an eloquent anthem of self-determination, proved a potent opening salvo. Backing by a bassist and guitarist Jason Wilber — who opened the concert with a 30-minute solo set — helped propel the rollicking country number. DeMent proceeded to play other familiar, poignant entries from her back catalog like “Let the Mystery Be.†The opening track on her 1992 debut disc Infamous Angel, the song makes a measured, sensitive argument for agnosticism.
Having engaged the crowd with songs everyone appeared to know by heart, the singer debuted unreleased material. It was a brave move that paid off. The most memorable of the fresh stuff was a touching and humorous song about “mama’s truth.†DeMent played the number solo on piano after dedicating it to her 89-year-old mother, a women who raised 14 children. The performance verified that the singer/songwriter has some gems squirreled away. Hopefully, they’ll find their way onto a new DeMent album in the near future.
This article appears in Aug 1-7, 2007.