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Adele literally bounced onto the stage in a show of childlike enthusiasm for the last date of her UK tour; clearly nervous, she apologised for her reticence.

Her hesitations seemed to dissipate however as she sang Daydreamer from her debut album 19. Armed only with a guitar, Adele entranced the audience with her colossal voice. Only recently turned twenty, she appeared to relax into the set as the night progressed; one received an impression of intimacy.

She performed as if in her living room before her nearest and dearest, not to the packed capacity of Shepherd's Bush Empire. Jesting she'd been alcohol free for a whole nineteen days, she added that it was high time for a celebratory sup on account of her birthday that night; cue to audience to erupt into a chorus of 'Happy Birthday'.

An Etta James cover paid homage to her idol, however the night's highlight lay in her Bob Dylan cover, 'Let Me Feel Your Love' which Adele admitted was her favourite song to perform. Other highlights included the new single Cold Shoulder, produced by current industry darling, Mark Ronson.

Adele dedicated her song First Love to her best friend Jack (Penate) who was watching in the gallery cheering on his friend. Three covers were also sung, The Corals Dreaming of You, left the onlookers dancing and produced a vibrant sing a long.

Support was left in the very capable hands of electro pop artist Sam Sparro, whose voice has been likened to that of The Artist Formerly Known As Prince. The Australian born up-and-coming warmed the audience with his quirky style & running man dance moves, Adele herself suggested her voice was already worn from singing along to him. His own shows are, I am sure, will be equally brilliant; a little as if the Mardi Gras had come to town.

Ending the evening with her hit, Chasing Pavements, Adele encouraged massive audience accompaniment, all duly complying. Leaving the audience wanting more, my appetite & that of fans was barely whetted as we eagerly await fresh material from this new British talent.

A Brit Award already to her name, Adele is destined for great things. With her pitch-perfect voice and infectious personality she's a real contender for the title of Soul Queen. Watch out Amy a new-comer is ready to take your title.

By Abigail Vaughan

Dingwall's is an inconspicuous alternative rock venue in arty Camden. Often packed with hipsters, it is the kind of intimate space that emerging bands play before they step into the big league. Enter Yoav Sadan, an Israeli singer-songwriter whose music suited the relaxed atmosphere perfectly. He used his guitar not only as a strumming instrument but also as a percussive tool that created the most spooky, sexy dance music.

By using a looping device, Yoav created his sound from scratch, building up echoes and haunting melodies as the audience watched. As he tore into the songs from his debut album, 'Charmed and Strange', it was clear that the audience was enraptured by his spell.

Wearing a simple cardigan and glasses, he could easily have been mistaken for a scruffy school teacher and not a former model whose upbringing was rooted in segregated South Africa, and whose music is now celebrated by New York clubbers.

As he performed 'Club Thing', his musical calling card, a trippy R&B club track that would make Justin Timberlake blush, the audience danced as if they were in a trance; joyfully unrestrained. He kept the show up-tempo to maintain high spirits.

As the show drew to a close, three girls huddled in front of the stage, begged him for one more song and he acquiesced. “Two more songs” the girls bargained with him, “No, make it three.” Everybody laughed at this and cheered in agreement. From the look of this devoted following and his collection of serious tunes, it wont be long before Yoav really steps into the big league.

Yoav will be supporting Ladytron on 15 May at Astoria, 157 Charing Cross Road, London. 8pm. Info: www.ticketmaster.co.uk. The album, 'Charmed and Strange' is out now on Field Records.

By Diriye Osman

UK urban music hit its commercial nadir a few years ago, when record labels refused to see the genre as an innovative and viable contender in the cut-throat world of the pop charts. So, within the space of a few years, you had artists like So Solid and Ms Dynamite hit the top of their game and then disappear completely. The same fate awaited Estelle, when in 2004, she released her critically acclaimed debut, '18th Day' only to then fall out with her label, which wanted her to go in a more rock-oriented direction.

But Estelle, being the hustler that she is, refused to give up. She packed her bags and moved to the states where she was promptly signed up by John Legend's Home School Label. Having collaborated with a hit list of serious American hip-hop stars, including Wyclef Jean, Kanye West and Will.i.am to name a few, Estelle returned to the UK only to drop the biggest tune of the year so far, 'American Boy' which landed at the number one spot.

The album, 'Shine' offers a youthful, deliciously wry look at contemporary relationships, from the safe sex call and response of 'Just a Touch' to the beautiful summer reggae of 'Substitute Lover' which remixes the hook from the Gregory Isaacs classic. Every song on the disc feels right and cohesive, recalling the lush 'Miseducation' album by Lauryn Hill.

The style hops from genre to genre taking in lovers rock, hip-hop and neo-soul. The lyrics, all of which are penned by Estelle, retain that sassy, badass outlook of a London rude gyal who shouldn't be messed with.

Estelle has made one hell of a hot comeback disc; sexy, vivacious and fun. It is clearly an early contender for album of the year.

To support the album, Estelle will performing on 8 June at the Ritz, Whitworth Street, Manchester, Lancashire/ 9 June at ABC, 300 Sauciehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JB/ 10 June at The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Birmingham/ 12 June at Shepherds Bush Empire, Shepherds Bush Green, London, W12 8TT. Info: www.ticktemaster.co.uk

By Diriye Osman

Conjuring a surrealist landscape of enormous toadstools, inquisitive ladybirds, treasure & sundresses, Cathy Davey's melancholic allusions to darker things tempers well her infectious, foot tapping, pop-infused optimism.

Tales of Silverstream, her second album, is at times a sweeter amalgam of the climatic, grandiose sound so beloved of The Arcade Fire, with a haunting voice reminiscent of say, Marianne Faithful. A sound for a quiet train on a rainy Sunday, or over lamp lit tea at a worn wooden table, the eerie instrumentals & eclectic vocals tread well that precarious path between maudlin indulgence & sincere rumination.

Hand claps, cowbells & an undulating organ betray Cathy's folk influences, but there's grittiness in her voice, Carole King or Kate Bush with more cigarettes, Duffy without the soul. Offering a refreshing lack of contrived naivety, she's corruptible but retains a hint of indie-lite, nostalgic charm. The darkness however is wanting.

From the square dancing thrill of 'Rueben' with its lovely echoed chorus, to the heavy influence of Catatonia's Cery Matthews in Mr Kill & the exquisitely forlorn Rubbish Ocean, 'Tales of Silverstream' rambles through songs of vaudeville knees-up to others of simmering sadness.

Her first album, 'Something Ilk' of 2004, is perhaps a graver affair then this latest offering, but listeners will revel in the lackadaisical jauntiness & prancing exuberance, both belied by a charmingly pervasive sorrow. Nevertheless, Cathy Davey isn't memorable as there's a lacking resilience & originality. The legions of similarly sounding, eclectic young things about are equally resplendent in sundresses & asymmetrical haircuts, but all offer little more than a pleasingly melodic, passing aural chic.

Cathy, awarded the Meteor for Best Irish Female as well as being nominated for The Choice Award, Ireland's Mercury's in 2007, was expelled from school for composing lascivious poetry; her misunderstood dyslexia seeing her exchange class for the formative refuge of the piano. Now playing capacity houses across the country, she's scheduled to grace the Dublin Olympia in June, a venue usually the realm of the more illustrious.

Tales of Silversleeve is due for release in June, with a series of residencies planned for the Waterrats in London throughout May until June 5th.

By Kingston Trinder
(Sub-editor for Live Listings)

The most tedious thing about the no-smoking ban is that bars and clubs, particularly small ones sometimes emit a strange, repugnant whiff. The smoke somehow masked body odor and the smell from the toilets. The Soho Revue Bar, a sweaty, alleyway club in the heart of London was reeking on the night soul chanteuse Lizz Wright performed there, so much to the point the singer gamely tried to conceal her distaste by smiling graciously. Such professionalism should be lauded in any case.

When Wright, a young performer from the American Deep South, took to the stage, you could hear a pin drop. Her voice is subtle and restrained and her presence calm and collected

There's no excessive over-singing when it comes to Wright. She manages to convey her emotion through understatement, almost as if she's lost in meditation. Performing songs from her third album, 'The Orchard', the melancholic tone of the disc was transformed into an almost celebratory spirit that recalled an impassioned church sermon. It made for seductive listening.

Wearing her hair in tiny braids and donning casual attire, it was clear from the outset that Wright was disinterested in extravagant gimmicks. Her small band backed her beautifully and the relaxed banter between them was emblematic of an almost familial closeness.

Wright performed Tina Turner's lascivious torch song, 'I Idolize You' and transformed into a bluesy hymn. She then took Neil Young's 'Old Man' and rendered it into a slice of soulful Americana. The crowd consisted mainly of smart-suited execs and sophisticated jazz aficionados who were willing to sit on the floor to hear her sing.

When the performance drew to a close, Wright slipped out discreetly but her audience banged so hard on their tables for an encore, that she returned to oblige.

Even a smelly venue couldn't put a damper on the evening and Lizz Wright proved that classiness came effortlessly to her.

Wright's album, 'The Orchard' is out now on Verve Records.

By Diriye Osman

Contemporary Christian Music often retains a certain Jekyll & Hyde complex, producing some superb artists that adhere faithfully to the genres in which they belong. Christian Rock for example, claims the likes of P.O.D (Payable On Death), and Spoken & Athlete who have had success in the British charts, whilst Christian Hip-Hop is represented by The Cross Movement, T-Bone & Da' T.R.U.T.H, to name but a few.

LCL Praise, however, represents the other end of the spectrum. Produced by Ian Green, the production of their album, Awesome God, is actually very good, and the lyrical content is passionate and sincere. Nevertheless, these are both frustrated by poor musical direction.

Commencing with a cringe-worthy performance of 'So Amazing', the album is paralyzed before even acquiring any discernible momentum, continuing then to the equally lamentable, 'King of Glory'. Chord structures are largely generic "gospel" with no new interpretation or reinvigoration,

The CD starts with a cringe-worthy performance of a song called 'So Amazing' that cripples the album before it even has a chance to gain any momentum. It continues with another equally bad track called 'King of Glory'.

Tracks, such as 'Lord I love You', 'You're All I Need', and 'My Strength', are palatable, but even these barely attain the level of excusable 80s pop at best! Assuming the album's raison d'être is to propagate the virtues of the gospel, it may sadly miss the mark owing to its lack of broad appeal.

Even if RCL Praise wishes only to cater to fellow Christians, they still need to raise their game. Whilst I can feel the passion of the singers, I just wish that their music reflected the seriousness of their conviction.

By the end of album, my persistent thought was of being so disappointed to hear the splendor of the gospel conveyed in such a lacklustre manner. With the quality of the vocals, and better musical direction one can only hope for a more successful effort before too long.

RCL Praise's 'Awesome God' is out soon.

By Eddie-Lee Lawrence