Mr Hudson - Hanbury Club, Brighton - 3/6/09
5/5
By: Tom Hocknell
Since his 2007 debut album, Mr Hudson finds himself in the unforeseen position of being one of the least (commercially) successful people to hook up with the 'Ego-has landed', Kanye West. However, Kanye's considerable admiration for Ben Hudson, makes more sense once the similarities between the two men are drawn, both have unflappable belief in themselves, and most importantly, correctly so. However, while Big Things ™ are threatened, with the Kanye West assisted Straight, No Chaser album, the 50, 000 crowds don't begin in the Hanbury's elegantly compact ballroom tonight, unless there's a Wembley-size queue outside.
In support of the forthcoming album, Mr Hudson has trimmed the band, but the vocals, steel drumming and genuine bonhomie of Joy Joseph thankfully remain. The set mixes new and old, with the soulful blues of 'One Specific Thing's (I packed up my life/in the boot of your car) being as sharp as heartbreak. His voice remains impeccable, perfectly punctuating the offbeat ska-like rhythms with his usual swagger.
As ever, the insidious melodies grow with each listen. Newbie's, 'Lift Your Head' and 'There will be Tears' imply he may have been drinking from the same classic house tap as Jack Penate, both with beltingly glorious grooves, but they exemplify the smorgasbord of influences. The forthcoming R&B flavoured single 'Supernova' couldn't be more appropriately named and has a chorus the size of a jet-plane.
Despite the Kanye connection, their sound is thankfully not swamped with auto-tune or effects, they still come across like a Prefab Sprout, force-fed Music Hall Standards, Hip/Hop and Calypso, and it gets no better than the kiss off line: 'I'd like to think there'll come a day/when drum machines and Troubadours smile.'
Another highlight is new song 'White Lies', which takes its lead from the 80's, yet resists pastiche, with the line, "You can't blame a bloke for trying/but inside I'm dying'. It's massive. Finally he alone serenades with 'Cover Girl', before the band return for the mass sing-along of 'Ask The DJ'. For once, the hype fits, as Mr Hudson are that rarity; a band that makes your stomach tingle with smiles, and puts you on the same side as Kanye West.
Photography copyright Paul Cassidy 2009.
Artists in this article: Mr Hudson
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