Album Review: Jack Garratt, At PizzaExpress Live - In London

Jack Garratt’s shtick, as well winning BRIT awards, is that he operates as a proverbial one-man-band on stage,,renowned for his ability to hop between percussion, guitars and keyboards with immaculate precision.

Unsurprisingly then, he’s been cranking out the live albums of late, with At PizzaExpress - Live In London his third in succession. This time, however, Garratt has ditched his usual set-up and opted to perform with a full band instead.

Undoubtedly, the change pays off across these 12 tunes. ‘Better’ is a jazzy, piano-driven delight; ‘Mara’ builds beautifully before kicking into an infectious synth jam; and ‘Worry’ is wonderfully reminiscent of Sly & The Family Stone.

Garratt’s vocals and guitar, meanwhile, are superb throughout. ‘Old Enough’ sees him go from guttural growl to delicate falsetto, all while blasting out Hendrix-style riffs underneath. Elsewhere, ‘Surprise Yourself’ also benefits from its epic guitar intro.

For good measure, the raucous atmosphere oozes through the speakers, particularly on ‘Weathered’, where the crowd chimes in to full harmonic effect. Soulful and rousing stuff.

8/10