Ed Harcourt reconfirms an awesome promise of a talent

There is a conspiracy going on and it is the time itself that is clandestinely slipping into obscurity at accelerated pace; without a speedometer handy, I reckon at Warp Six. The reason being that I can’t believe that is almost 18 months since Ed Harcourt had his debut album out, ‘Here Be Monsters’ was also Mercury Music Prize nominated, and as long since his live show. An army of pop ‘stars’ paraded by and into counter- reality (has-been’s graveyard), genres ruled and evaporated, fashion changed faster than you could Mc-poison your Chevy Chase!

Thenceforth, it is a major relief to see an artist like Ed Harcourt operating in the very hostile waters of desperate music industry. And, where image and gimmicks are more important that knowing a chord, where visit to choreographer is more important than working on songwriting, here is a breath of tradition in the world full of transient sex-bombettes and himbo-groups. Promoting his second opus, ‘From Every Sphere’…

Sartorially attired, be it behind a piano, or a guitar, songs always feel like being in a widescreen, there is nothing short of orchestral impression. And, there is no specialising here, there is wide range of songs: power pop of ‘All Of Your Days Will Be Blessed’ to the Tom Waits-toned ‘Ghost Writer’, but it is never a straight (re)cliché-ing, there are different ingredients to throw in a confusion, a challenge, an arty twist: there is an echo of Americana, psychedelia, saloon-bar blues, Britfolk, crooning, Latino, vaudeville.

There are moments when Coldplay is recalled, then Jeff Buckley or, Elton John – lazy but accurate comparisons; the major difference being that Harcourt lyrics are yet to match his musical grasp. There is more to his sonic side – unexpected sounds, off-centre keys and chords, intricate arrangements – but, at times, there is grandiosity that threatens to overwhelm the songs. Perhaps, he is trying too hard while less can be more, so often.

‘Oldies’ are welcome with open arms, be it ‘Hanging Out With A Wrong Crowd’, ‘Apple Of My Eye’ or watching him smash a guitar after ‘Watching The Sun Come Up’, but it is only a 12-song set that ends (prematurely?) with ‘Shanghai’ as the final encore.

A solid performance but Harcourt still needs to learn controlling his flow of ideas to allow his talent to shine as a full moon. Still, he made the outside freeze vanish tonight and replaced it with a shimmering illusion of a summery soundtrack. I was buzzing down the Pacific Highway’s two-lane blacktop in a vintage cabriolet… (Snap out of daydreaming or it’s the ‘Indulgence cupboard’! – Reality TV Ed.)