Review: Jake Xerxes Fussell at The Outpost

For every artist, there’s an ideal setting to witness one of their performances — a place that perfectly complements the music and lyrics. 

For Godspeed You! Black Emperor, it may be an abandoned church; Fugazi: a gymnasium; Foreigner: a county fair; and Joanna Newsom: an enchanted garden. Set alongside the French Broad River, surrounded by greenery, the side stage at The Outpost provided the quintessential locale to take in the laid back, rustic folk tunes of Jake Xerxes Fussell.

The Durham-based singer/songwriter graced the outdoor venue on May 17. And despite a forecast that threatened to drop buckets of rain on attendees, there was a decent turnout to the show. With his attentive fans seated on camping chairs and blankets, Fussell showcased his mastery of folk music. Drawing from the rich tradition of the genre, he presents timeless songs from decades-passed with a obviously genuine appreciation of the material that translates through his earnest performance. 

The standout of the evening was Fussell’s rendition of “The River St. John’s,” which opens his 2019 album Out of Sight. Based on a recording by Stetson Kennedy of a man named Harden Stuckey recalling his childhood memory of a fishmonger, the simple song — with the lines “I've got fresh fish this morning, ladies / They are gilded with gold / And you may find a diamond in their mouths” — is as poetic as it is delightfully unpretentious. With the trees behind the stage hiding any signs of modernity, it was easy to find myself transported to another place and time as Fussell picked the strings and sang the tune.

Talented folk traditionalists like Jake Xerxes Fussell have a particular knack utilizing songs with origins from another time and place to act as catalysts for auditory time travel. It’s an under-appreciated skill that often gets overshadowed by the bombast and excess of modernity, and should be celebrated whenever possible.

(Photos by Jonny Leather)

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