Isle of Wight strummer Puzzle Muteson bears a faint resemblence to James Vincent McMorrow, his voice soaring as he delicately picks out guitar lines on acoustic versions of tracks from his debut En Garde.
The Lost Brothers couldn’t be more different. The Mumford-esque ‘Now The The Night Has Come’ is soaked in Nashville vibes and has vivid echoes of the O Brother soundtrack. In fact, the next song is actually called ‘O Brother’. It boasts hymnal vocals, a jaunty acoustic beat and a gorgeous Hank Williams sound.
‘City Of The Rose’ and ‘The Goodbye Kid’ are highlights, the latter lively and upbeat and instantly recognisable. After a delightful cover of The Everely Brothers’ ‘Dream’, they finish with the slowed down, heartfelt sea shanty, ‘Turquoise Sky’ – prompting wild applause.
After an interval the crowd swells perceptibly. They are here to welcome the waifish Katie Kim. Her ghost-like tones demand the pub takes stock and listen. Kim’s short set features material from new album Cover And Flood and tunes that have yet to see daylight. She also dips into her catalogue – the spine-tingling ‘Backdrop Freddie’ from her debut Twelve is jaw-dropping. However it is when Kim engages her ever-present loop pedal that the almost suffocating atmospherics truly take control. Great things surely lie ahead.