PAOLO NUTINI: TRACK BY TRACK

PAOLO NUTINI

1. Alloway Grove
If an insane film director decided to make Paisley’s answer 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?', then move aside 'Soggy Bottom Boys', Nutini will take it from here and ‘Alloway Grove’, with it’s southern twang and it’s consistent base drum, would be the signature tune. I predict that this song will have the majority skipping to work and Paolo laughing all the way to the bank. Class!

2. These Streets
The designer-scruffy silhouette of Nutini pops down stage for a second, seemingly to collect his ‘even bigger voice’, which he then uses to tell the pitch-perfect (in his thickest Scottish accent) tale of his daunting move south of the boarder. In the same way when you first heard Jamie Mccallum you conjure up a mental image of a middle-aged bloke with a 40-a-day Marlborough habit, Nutini’s voice is a far cry from his svelte adolescent appearance.

3. Last Request
Another big, bolshy, ballad belted out with precision and dare I say it, a hint of the Rod-The-Mod husk, if I remember correctly. I was on my third pint of Carling Extra Cold at this stage but I distinctly remember deciding to keep the £3 that lined my pockets to buy my forth pint rather than folk out for the first single. I planed to start saving again in the morning in time for the release of ‘Alloway Grove’.

4. New Shoes
Now we're talking! This was probably written on the back of the same fag packet as the opener – the honky-tonk (akin to early 'Stones' approximately album 3) vibes was all it took to transform the foot-taping to dancing in the aisles. What's that you say Paolo, “I put my new shoes on and suddenly everything is right”?I am not entirely sure what his metaphoric shoes allude to but if he’s talking about this fresh outfit straight out of Paisley - then I am inclined to agree.

5. Jenny Don’t Be Hasty
This is straight from the heart, albeit a fractured one. The upbeat woes of being ditched by his older lover (once she discovered he was 18 and not in fact 23) proved to be a winner with the rabble in the mosh-pit. It was lyrically sweet. One thing’s for certain, Jenny be will ruing the day and her ageist ways when she stands next to me in the 107th row, main stage, Glastonbury.

So on conclusion, I have learnt two things: 1. Tell the truth and shame the devil 2. This boy can sing! Now for my third lesson - how to download all things tossed up by this talented Scottish-Italian hybrid.


ANNA TERNHEIM
As the mellifluous, haunting tones of this Swedish stalker (most tracks about her forlorn love for her French ex) filled the room, the bar staff swiftly switched to plastic glasses to prevent Wako-like suicide. This unique and untouchable voice made even the thickest of hair stand on end. She finished with a very cool, yet morose (quell surprise) cover of Bowies China girl - I give her top marks for that! Even though Anna was worth every penny, I’d advise only those of a very sunny disposition to attend – she’ll make you rethink. The only Swede in London who is currently more depressed than Sven!

ER, I CAN'T HEAR THE NAME!?!
I didn’t catch the name of the third band but then that is hardly surprising with the amount of noise coming out of the woofer, harmonized by the yowling tones of a smoke alarm (I’m not kidding!). So, I have decided to call them 'Goodbye eardrums, hello titinus’ or ‘Too many decibels spoil the magic that’s trying to squeeze through’! This is a real shame because after the first track (a lyricless tract reminiscent of The Stone Roses) I threw my friend a look that said “I think this band might change my life”


BLUESKY RESEARCH
A very good band, I would have certainly not gone to the toilet in at least three of their five tracks. They rocked (in places)! However, while they’ve been lying on their backs researching blue skies, The Magic Numbers may have beaten them to it – well, the wardrobe department at any rate.