Aptly for a band with their name, Manchester four-piece The Slow Show have gradually built an audience with their intense, dark balladry. Tindersticks are an obvious yardstick, as Rob Goodwin doomily intones tales of lost love and escaping the city over sparse, beautifully arranged atmospherics.
It could be overly claustrophobic, but light is let in by Goodwin’s mordant wit and a subtle groove. Vagabond is like Doves in its supple rhythm, while Goodwin uses his voice as a percussive attack on The Fall. Guest singer Keisha Jones is a compelling foil, her crystalline challenge sparking off Goodwin like Martina Topley-Bird and Tricky.
Already stars in Germany and the Netherlands, Lust And Learn feels like the album where their homeland will catch up. The Slow Show demonstrate here why their tales are worth paying attention to. Get on board, quick.
8/10
John Earls