James Vincent McMorrow @ the ICA, 02/03/2011

I had to pull some strings, hell any strings I could find to get into this one, by the time I had clicked that I wanted to see this dreamboat voice it was sold out. The album's only just out though had been out for a year in Ireland. I had first heard "If I Had A Boat" on the MAP compilation and was hooked.

Strings pulled, tickets acquired, I hadn't been to the ICA in an age, it was nice to be back too. My friend and I checked out the support act, Rob Bravery but weren't taken by his twee ways and alighted to the bar for a couple of pints and a catch-up.

Back in the main room, I was pleased to see a full band set up, in a recent radio interview he had said he'd be playing alone. He wanders on stage and looks out above the crowd and is straight into it. He soon segues into "From The Woods" a lovely stirring rising song with a big ending which keeps going and is slightly different from the album version.

He thanks the crowd for coming along, he is humbled selling out a good sized venue, "Its cos you're incredible someone" someone shouts back. Im not all big on sycophancy, maybe its the Englishness, i'm not sure, he is great, his velvet voice projects beautifully across the room and the lo-fi backing of his band add a perfect sonic scene to accompany it.

Amongst the "Irish Bon Iver" tags James Vincent McMorrow is a young man with great songs who is surely set to garner further plaudits and his album shows why. He continues with "This Old Dark Machine" and "If I Had A Boat". Amongst the set he finds time to cover Sun Kill Moon's "Like The River" part of his solo interlude is interrupted by the clang of a can kicked over backstage by one of the band members. It provides a giggle,.

The gig isn't all serious, the audience are quite coupley and lovey, I'm in no mood for schmaltz but the songs are smooth and joyous and there's nothing wrong with that.