Pauline Taylor
Pauline Taylor
with special guests: One Eskimo and Sam Vouga
The Spitz, London
Monday 17th September
by Carl Fisher
With The Spitz due to close down at the end of September, there is never a better time to get along and witness one of the shows that go on there. Showcasing up and coming talent from all genres, tonight has a relaxed and soulful feel to it before anyone has even taken to the stage.
Pauline Taylor may be better known as one-time Faithless singer and Dido co-writer, but with the venue having filled up dramatically since the beginning of the night, it's plain to see that the crowd are here to see her. Having released her first solo album way back in 1999, she then took a break before returning in 2005 when she released the well received A Beautiful Life. That brings us to tonight, where Pauline Taylor will be showcasing some new tracks from her forthcoming new album, Up.
Best described as soul with a mix of folk in it, the opening song instantly forces you to nod in unison thanks to a simple drum beat. From that moment on, Pauline Taylor's powerful voice rings through a number of hits and new songs, her stage presence is great and she has a good rapport with the crowd. Her down to earth attitude and lack of arrogance is admirable considering her past, and none more noticeable than when she plays Hackney Crystal, a song written about where she grew up. The Moon And Me is made all the more personal by a dedication to one of her friends in the crowd, but it's future single Up that really makes the biggest impact. An impressive, bluesy, chorus-driven number, it shows great potential for the new album.
The only thing that detracts from the set is the purpose of the trumpet player. Only evident on some tracks anyway, his contribution is questionable and it does take attention off the rest of the band, with it often being too loud and overshadowing Pauline's voice.
Pauline Taylor as a show-woman has no problem keeping the crowd entertained, with a brief story to accompany most songs and jokes flying everywhere, the show is a lot of fun and it's no surprise that there are calls for an encore when she's finished. Only Pauline and her guitarist return to play One Crazy Night before they are joined on stage by the rest of the band to finish up with Mystery Man.
To see all of Pauline Taylor's forthcoming UK dates, see her page here on Ents24.
