On a cold and drizzly night, Newton Faulkner’s pleasant, easy listening music is ideal for those huddled closely in a small, dark room after the trek to Hackney. Accompanied by a two-piece ensemble, providing musical support as well as comic relief, Faulkner is extremely personable and his constant engagement with the audience creates an inviting, convivial atmosphere.

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With his signature ginger dreadlocks harnessed in a top knot, Faulkner opens with I Need Something (his first single, released in 2007), a subdued, mildly self-deprecating song with simple lyrics and an undemanding melody, which immediately elicits a singalong from the whole audience. However, his attempt to conduct them like a choir proves to be a bit more complicated than the participants can handle on a Monday night. His music clearly appeals to the many thirty-something couples, who sway together intimately.

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Though his new album, Human Love, was only released a few days ago, Faulkner’s set is a healthy sample of all of his work. A slight departure from the Matt Costa-esque, unembellished acoustic compositions of his previous work, tracks from his latest album are easily recognisable, with the pop strains of Up Up and Away one of the highlights of the evening. Introducing electronic accents and other new elements to Human Love, Faulkner does not abandon his trademark guitar strumming, with percussive thrashes and slaps when performing Stay and Take. His judicious use of falsetto is also paired with novel vocal stylings. These can perhaps be attributed the cold that he admits to having, but his voice betrays no raspy strains and Faulkner’s robust energy carries him through to the last note of the encore.

 

 

 

Verdict: ★★★☆☆

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Highlights: Up Up and Away, Stay and Take

Watch the video for Get Free here

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