Joshua Radin w/ Lissie – Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London 08/04/10

Tackling the formidable Shepherd’s Bush Empire is a hefty challenge for the most established artists. So goodness knows how still wet behind the ears Lissie was feeling on this balmy evening as she gazed out into the packed to the rafters Empire.

But either she’s the world’s greatest actress, or this kind of thing just doesn’t bother her (lucky in her line of work) as Lissie boldly strode out on stage just after 8pm. Along with her band, she delivered a brazen set, flouting the play-it-safe support act rules.

Lissie’s sound is gloriously American, a sort of Dire Straits by way of the Dixie Chicks and it charms the audience, some of whom, judging by the amount of whooping going on, are clearly already fans. Halfway through her set she drops a bit of an odd choice – a cover of Metallica’s ‘Nothing Else Matters’. Undoubtedly and inspired choice, you have to admire the sheer cheek of it, but there are moments when the wispy blonde just doesn’t have the vocal range to pull it off. But then not many people can.

Her nicotine-infused, bourbon-drenched, sunshine-laced voice fills the room, and she had Joshua Radin’s audience (who admittedly are probably more accommodating than your average audience), utterly enchanted with her self-proclaimed “Radio 2 hit” ‘In Sleep’. With such confidence and a voice with the goods, it seems certain that Lissie herself will soon be in the headline slot here.

But this evening that accolade belongs to one Joshua Radin. His credentials include a track propelled to cult status through an advert, being bessies with Zach Braff (who, incidentally, is in attendance this evening, sitting three rows in front of me, pulling off a double denim ensemble with aplomb), and being relatively new to the music game, after writing a break-up album a few years ago.

So perhaps on paper, Joshua Radin is a little clichéd. In practice, however, he’s in an entirely different league. In fact, and entirely different game.

He’s got the all-American writing style of Bruce Springsteen, with the sensitive, heartbreaking edge of Bon Iver, a right leg that Elvis is living through, and the gentle acoustic sounds of Simon & Garfunkel. He wrote his first album on the back of a bad break-up, and watching him performed is like being sucked into said break-up, experience it first hand, and get spat out the other side by a man who you can’t help but fall for.

The set features a mix of Radin’s stripped-back, deepest moments of despair in a darkened room, fragile acoustic tracks mixed and a wonderful full band featuring cello, double bass, three backing singers, and a Danish drummer. It would take a heart of stone not to be affected by his songs, and the whole audience seems to have a sense of catharsis as they struggle to get their heads together and leave the venue after his set.

Granted, he’s not exactly breaking boundaries in laying his heart bare and playing simple love songs on an acoustic guitar – Simple Times is the name of his album, in fact. But Joshua Radin gives such a heart-on-sleeve honest performance, with such perfect instrumentation and musicianship that, for want of a better phase “what’s not to like?” Ladies – his voice is like sitting on a washing machine. Guys – buy ‘Sky’ or ‘I’d Rather Be With You’ and she’s yours, guaranteed.