Fresh off of her ongoing “Sing for your Supper” tour, which has seen Claire travel the length and breadth of the country, stopping along the way at various venues and playing a handful of tunes in return for a hot meal – tonight Claire, in collaboration with YellowHammer takes to the stage to showcase material from her forthcoming album 52 Card Pick Up (due for release later this summer).
The set opens with Lord of the Flies, a catchy up-beat number that demands the crowd’s attention and soon has everyone nodding their heads or tapping their foot in appreciation. The band follow on with Summer Kiss, another high tempo song with a captivating melody and which is destined to be a stand out track on the upcoming album.
Pot Kettle Black is a slower paced tune that really allows Claire to demonstrate her magnificent vocal talents. Album title track 52 Card Pick Up lifts the momentum again before the band switch gear and perform back-to-back covers of Hot Chip’s – Over and Over again, which really seems to stir the packed in audience into something of a frenzy, and there’s a cover of Madonna’s – Ray of Light, in which Claire really manages to put her own stamp on this version of the song and make it her own.
Current single You and I is a real belter of a song. With its dream-esque vibe and shimmering sound, this song would be perfect for the opening title sequence of a James Bond film. I half expect to see a silhouetted Roger Moore emerge from the side of the stage, clutching a handgun and cavorting with a scantily clad femme fatale. Claire’s voice marries with the music just perfectly. This song has the potential to become the soundtrack to a good old British summer.
The night draws to a close with Corruptor, a less delicate tune with a devilish feel to it – an almost acoustic stab into the punk world. With a summer album waiting in the wings and a promising performance at Glastonbury to look forward to, the future really looks bright for Claire. If good honest songs with enchanting melodies and charming vocals are what floats your bloat, then Claire Nicolson will not disappoint.
You can catch Claire at the Barfly in Camden on the 19th April.
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