“My secret name is Annie,” says the pretty, petite and knowingly winsome Miss Clark AKA St Vincent, after enthralling, beguiling and elating in equal measure the capacity crowd at Bush Hall. Of course it doesn’t come as a shock to the gathered devotees that’s she’s not really a bona fide canonized saint. And she’s certainly isn’t an obscure Roman martyr executed beyond the walls of the city of Rome on the road to Tivoli in Italy (the historical St Vincent, don’tcha know?).Splitting off to go solo from the Polyphonic Spree, if it continues to work out for her, just think, she could inspire the 27 other ‘phonics to follow in her wake... Maybe they parted company because Annie didn’t get on with Spree leader Tim DeLaughter’s new dress code – the band’s stage attire switched from flowing choir gowns to black army uniforms earlier this year. More likely her growing collection of heartfelt skewed pop songs forced her up the front and away from the histrionics of the Polyphonics.
Despite her fragile appearance, Annie is a confident and consummate performer and she’s assembled a complimentary backing band for this intimate show. Accompanied by violin, bass and drums, St V plays effects-enhanced electric guitar in a set made up almost entirely of songs from her debut album, Marry Me.
But it’s when the accompaniment exits the stage and Annie is left truly solo that she really shines. She’s funny and feisty. During an exquisite reading of the album’s title track, she sings: “Let’s do what Mary and Joseph did / Without the kid.” This lyrical witticism provokes a shriek of laughter from a girl in the crowd (it’s on the album, dear). Annie looks over at her, then back at the audience. “She’s just got it,” says Miss Clark.
And there can’t be many that haven’t ‘got’ her precious pop songs by the end of the set. Except perhaps the twit squatting at the back playing games on his mobile throughout this delightful gig. Delightful, yes. Sounds twee, I know – but you had to be there.
(4½/5)
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