Concert Review: Judd and Maggie

Two songs into Judd and Maggie’s eleven song set, Judd greeted the crowd. “Welcome to Rash Mountain,” he said, leaving some patrons confused, but most smiling. Whether or not the guitar-wielding Maryland native was joking, coming up with new album titles (and that would be an interesting one), or genuinely confused himself is anybody’s guess – but what the duo lacked in accuracy they made up for with an engaging performance of their introspective, eclectic brand of indie/folk/pop songs. With a disarming emotional transparency, the unassuming pair faced an audience of jaded New Yorkers and pushed aside the city’s pressures, if only for an evening.

In his western-style shirt, Judd resembled a combination of Lyle Lovett and Art Garfunkel, while Maggie, with her white crocheted cloche, black peasant-style dress and cowboy (girl?) boots seemed like a cross between a flapper and a frontier woman. The refreshing lack of trendiness of the two people onstage was also evident in their music – which is melodic, introspective, spiritual, and not at all bound to the dictates of Nashville. The new music as well as the familiar songs reinforce the fact that Judd and Maggie are originals.

One of five bands to play that night at Crash Mansion, Judd and Maggie had the difficult task of following an explosive, high-energy Danish punk/acoustic/alternative/soul four-piece whose members seemed manically pumped to the point of bursting: very in-your-face. To paraphrase Groucho Marx, if they were any more in your face, they’d be in back of you. Considerably more low-key, Judd and Maggie performed music for the soul, accompanied by Judd on acoustic guitar and electric keyboard, sometimes paired with Maggie on bass guitar. The sparse accompaniment served these troubadours well, highlighting Maggie’s pure, unaffected vocal style and Judd’s plaintive, honest yet almost sardonic delivery. As is often the case with siblings, magic happens when the two harmonize – not the tight, exacting harmony of over-schooled vocalists but with the symbiotic interplay of voices that instinctively fill-in-the-musical-blanks with organic and often surprising twists and turns.

The set covered selections from Subjects, the excellent Kingdom of Noise album (including the catchy title track), and several songs from the not-yet-released, A Little Confidence. The songs, stripped of studio production, stood up well to the minimalist treatment of the intimate live format. It should be interesting to hear what direction the new material, which sounded more reflective than expected, will take once finalized on the forthcoming release.

Judd and Maggie let the songs speak for themselves, bypassing the usual, ‘everybody get up on your feet and scream,’ routine in favor of genuine communication and simple, unadorned performance. And they’re very good at it. Lest anyone mistake this for being timid, the pair bravely unplugged themselves and stepped off the stage to perform their last song – the inviting, powerful, embracing “Not Out For Blood” – literally face-to-face with the audience.

So, yeah – Judd and Maggie got in your face, too.
But not before touching your heart.

You can learn more about Judd and Maggie at www.myspace.com/juddandmaggie

Photo Credit: Bert Saraco
www.myspace.com/expressimage

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