There is something ever so slightly too calculated about "Mr" Ben Hudson. The Eminem-haired Oxbridge graduate is a charming host, and dressed for the occasion in his fedora and waistcoat. But there is something in his suspiciously well-planned improvisations and too-smooth song links (he plugs the drummer's aftershow DJ set before seguing into Ask the DJ) that puts you in mind of the kind of man who may well keep a Marvin Gaye CD by his bed in case he gets lucky.
Despite the cheesy contrivances, the crowd love him. It can be tricky in these downloading days to get a handle on which artists are currently being clutched to the nation's bosom. Given that the hype over Hudson's debut A Tale of Two Cities didn't quite translate into sales there was always the concern that the public just didn't feel the same way as the critics. It was a needless worry: the 1,100-capacity Electric Ballroom is packed with well-groomed studenty types who know the words to every song.
Hudson and his live band, the Library, put on an accomplished show. Like the album, the set layers kitschy samples from musicals with deliberately English-accented Sting-like crooning about catching the bus. But whereas the record is pretty horizontal, more Sunday morning than Saturday night, live it is beefed up with hip-hop riffs and playful keyboards.
Happily, the increase in volume does not come at the expense of Hudson's lovely lyrics; thanks to his immaculate diction, lines such as "double brandies triple-glaze my soul" (Bread and Roses) ring out loud and clear over the sound system. It is not a one-man show either - the Library's Joy Joseph is dazzling on the steel pans during the album's title track, and showcases her impressive lungs when given the chance to solo.
While Hudson himself might be lacking in the spontaneity stakes, he's a nice chap to be around, and when he smiles his way through a line like "Imagine that, getting paid to sing!", you can't help grinning along with him.
· At the Roundhouse, London (0870 389 1846), tonight and tomorrow. Then touring.
