One of the finest albums you’ll hear this year comes from Jesse Daniel. Son of the San Lorenzo is the fifth studio LP from the California country picker and is easily his most mature and personal effort to date. Daniel puts his road-hardened style of West Coast country in the spotlight while conjuring the kind of lore around the area he grew up that fits nicely into a storied tradition of the mythology of the West. These are songs about a sense of place with plenty of reflection and social commentary smartly layered in. Son of the San Lorenzo also solidifies Daniel’s place as one of authentic country music’s most promising acts. He’s been on the road promoting the album all summer long, and on Saturday, August 23rd, Daniel and his talented band hit Portland, Oregon’s Mississippi Studios.
Daniel has maintained a strong word-of-mouth buzz in the Rose City for the last few years, which is why it was surprising to see the venue not completely full. Perhaps it was the heat wave engulfing Portland that kept more fans from venturing out, but those who did make it out were rewarded with a finely tuned performance of high-octane country music. Following an opening set from Jake Kohn that showcased his Joe Cocker voice with all the ruts and gravel of a country road as well his promising skills as a songwriter, Daniel hit the stage and launched straight into the choogling country-folk of “Workin’ Hard (Day and Night).” With the help of his excellent band, Daniel dropped into a version of “Think I’ll Stay” that saw a healthy dose of impressive pedal steel twang courtesy of Zachary Moulton. “Rollin’ On” was a highlight with its swaggering ’90s-style honk tonk, while “Clayton Was a Cowboy” was a blistering, twangified rodeo tune that had the crowd singing right along. Guitarist Matthew Lee grabbed the spotlight as he blazed through solos on “Lonesome Blues” before Daniel brought it to a yodeling conclusion.
What makes a Jesse Daniel show so fun is not just the conviction that he sings and plays with, but the ability of him and his band to switch between different eras and styles of country music while managing to never sound contrived. “Ol’ Montana” offered a modern twist on a classic cheatin’ and murder ballad, sang with heartfelt sincerity, while “Countin’ the Miles” was a proper road tune that flowed with a steady momentum, and “Champion” imbued a sort of golden glow with its upbeat, lighter tone. Background singer Jodi Lyford got her moment to shine on the swooning honky tonk duet “Only Money Honey” with all the warmth of a cozy saloon. Daniel’s new tunes made welcome appearances, with songs like the twinkly ‘70s country-folk rambler “Mountain Home” feeling extra personal, and “Son of the San Lorenzo” capturing the imagery of his hometown.
Anyone who decided to skip Daniel’s Portland show surely would have regretted it by the time the band steered their way into the final stretch with a positively twanging and downright cool cover of Dire Straits’ “Walk of Life” that had the audience dancing. This was followed by a buoyant and lively take on the outlaw country staple “T For Texas” only to round it out with stomping ode to addiction “Soft Spot (For the Hard Stuff)” and the apt tune “The End” brimming with Allman Brothers-esque freewheeling guitar harmonies. Across the whole performance, Daniels reminded the fans of the versatility and easygoing charisma that make him one of the most consistently excellent country acts currently on the road.
