Slow Club - Electric Brixton, London 11/11/14

With the release of their third record earlier this year the Sheffield duo cemented their position as one of the UK's best indie songwriting outfits. Complete Surrender bursts with as much heartfelt emotion as it oozes boogie-inducing fun, and tonight in Brixton Slow Club brought the album, amongst a smattering of old favourites, to life.

Following some "unexpected technical difficulties" announced by the so-called "voice of Slow Club" to ironic, pantomime jeers that really characterises the relaxed atmosphere at the old theatre, the show kicks-off in a fittingly upbeat fashion; "Tears Of Joy" epitomises the bands sound as the Complete Surrender-opener grows out of its gentle, organ padded beginnings into the swinging, soulful chorus. The tracks sets the tone for the night, as the two compliment each other with effortless charm.

Following the revved-up title track, they things down a notch with the slow-burning “Never Look Back”, before Taylor takes centre-stage for a solo rendition of “It’s Not Mine To Love”, giving us the first proper glimpse of her miraculous live vocal which fires out over the silent onlookers. They both get a chance to display their individual talents in stripped-back moments of the set: Watson brings Conor Oberst to mind with the gorgeous, acoustic plucked “Paraguay And Panama” and leads “Number One” from the piano; the latter is a touching, lyrically intimate highlight of the night and indeed from the latest LP.

Backed-up by a brilliant band, including Guillemots’ Fyfe Dangerfield, the pair also impress with their multi-instrumentation skills: the explosive “Everything Is New” sees Taylor jump behind the kit smashing cymbals with as much confidence and enthusiasm as she displays bounding around with a tamborine front-centre. She does embrace the role of the evening’s compère, punctuating their emotional ballads with cries of “Anyone had the three Jägerbombs for £12 then?” and tight-jeaned toilet humour.

It’s a running theme of the evening - downright good fun, and this nowhere more clear than a live on-stage proposal: Taylor leads the calls for “Ben!” until a slightly sheepish-looking couple appear on stage and, with flowers in hand Ben gets down on one knee.

”Two Cousins”, “We’re Still Alive” and the wonderful “Pieces” embrace this feeling sonically and, thanks to a booming brass band, their boisterous soulful numbers are as entertaining as the on-stage banter. In fact they outshine it; as fun as it is, take away the child-like silliness and shiny, happy joy and you are left with high quality song-writing and a timeless sound delivered with tidy class.

Slow Club continue to occupy our hearts and minds and tonight’s show proves once again why they are quite so easy to love. Oh, and of course she said yes.

• Photograph by Jason Williamson - see the full Gig Gallery here.