Newport Folk Preview: Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside
Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 9:02AM 
By Brian Hodge
I had the pleasure of catching Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside at Tipitina’s in New Orleans this past Saturday. The Portland-based outfit took to the historic venue with refreshing, almost youthful enthusiasm; perhaps not surprising given their nascent musical career. (The band has also notably opened for the Avett Brothers, notoriously riotous performers.)
Ford will quickly put you in mind of a female Buddy Holly, performing catchy, rockabilly-like tunes from behind vintage glasses, and owning a pointed, percussive singing. Her style is unmistakeably pinned to a jukebox, sock-hop sound (see: “Cage” or “This Crew”), though she is equally capable of filling the room with soul. “Poison Milk” and “Against the Law” make up the mid-tempo middle of her album.
But she’s at her best (and most fun) when she’s letting loose. She ended the evening by imploring the crowd to dance on the irrepressibly catchy “Danger” and we were happy to oblige.
Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside are the perfect opening act on the bright-eyed Saturday morning at Newport: fun, fresh and owning the perfect combination of traditional, form-fitting proficiency and eager, envelope-pushing energy.
