Joss Stone and Andy Bull @TheEnmore Theatre (7/12/07)

Mon 10th Dec, 2007 in Gig Reviews

For Andy Bull, music must have ended with the punk explosion, given that his influences seem to stem exclusively from the seventies. You would think there’s a well-worn copy of Elton John’s - œYellow Brick Road’ in his collection, and that Stevie Wonder’s - œTalking Book’ is never far from the stereo. Wonder especially seems a model for his strong voice, capable of sky-kissing falsetto, and his limber keyboard playing. Songs like - œApril Still May’ and - œSmall Town Girl’ are slick, if largely unremarkable in a weeknight at the Basement kind of way. An unfunny anecdote about the downpour and some indulgent, school talent night soloing by his two bandmates were less impressive, but with an album due out next year, Bull could become one of the leading lights in a threadbare local soul scene. His set ended with a cover of Led Zeppelin’s - œWhat Is and What Should Never Be’ and he departs to an audience response well above what most support acts at the Enmore enjoy.

The star of the night was always going to be Joss Stone, however, her freakish soul voice being both a worthy recipient of the over-used – œprodigy’ tag and an affront to the old adage that one has to live the blues before you can sing them. It’s an attention-stealing, outrageously mature instrument that’s provided the backbone to her high-profile, if artistically patchy, career. Of her British contemporaries, perhaps only the mighty Amy Winehouse has a better natural voice.

Her band take the stage before her, all nine of them, including guitar, bass, two keyboard players, drums, three very animated backup singers and the almost obligatory overweight horn player. Expert players all, but the overall effect was often underwhelming, making for a cluttered sound. You wished there was at least one song with just her, a spotlight and a microphone.

An early disappointment is - œSupa Dupa Love’, perhaps her best pop song, which is stripped of its bounciness and turned into a blues dirge, Stone falling into the trap of singing seventeen notes when one would have done, being too determined to show off her voice and overcooking a simple tune. Another cut from her debut, - œFell in Love with a Boy’, is much, much better, a slow, sexy soul jam that involves some cheesy audience participation (is there any other kind?) and climaxes in a roof-rattling blues howl.
_ – œBruised But Not Broken’_ and the meandering – œ_Tell Me What We’re Going to Do Now_’ aren’t bad, but merely emphasise that her songwriting lags behind her precocious voice. At times you’re reminded she is only 20, as she giggles in response to amorous fans. Probably the lowpoint, however, is the introduction to - œMusic’ where crystal-shop keyboard music wafts aimlessly in the background as she talks of how her devotion to her ideal lover, music. “It’s like, soooooo wicked!” she enthuses. Quite.

A relaxed and likeable performer who skips around stage in a backless dress and trademark bare feet, she’s not too precious about her performance to admit “That was shit” after a rare miscued vocal. She also confesses to the – œvice’ of talking too much, but lets her music doing the talking by introducing - œYou Had Me’ with the words – œThis is a song about a bastard’. It’s a fierce, belted-out version of the hit single, combining old school soul with modern pop smarts, like Aretha Franklin with Timbaland production.

The best is saved for last however, with a relatively stripped-back blues band sound providing a tasteful backdrop for the encore of - œRight to Be Wrong’, an earthy, deep soul number which sees her produce her best vocal performance of the night . Finally, there’s a languid segue into Bob Marley’s evergreen - œNo Woman, No Cry’. She lets the backing singers end the song as she throws flowers to an adoring crowd and sashays off stage.

In striving to be all things to all people, and reaching uncertainly across top 40 pop, classic soul, modern R – œn’ B and blues rave-ups, there’s often an air of confusion around Stone’s music that’s capable of reducing her obvious talent to mediocrity. But with time on her side, an obvious love of her craft and a hell of a voice, the boundless potential she displayed tonight suggests she is also capable of doing something genuinely great one day.

Check out the pics from the gig HERE