Snail Mail (aka 19-year-old Lindsey Jordan) is being hailed as the voice of the next generation. But there’s one small problem: that voice, following months of near-nightly gigging, is knackered.
Consequently, what should have been a brilliant show was, instead, a bit of a mess. She knew it, too. “No one’s allowed to review tonight, OK?” she said, an order your writer reluctantly ignored.
It’s a shame because there is so much to admire about Jordan’s debut Lush, not least its brilliant lyrics that chronicle the trials and tribulations of being a teenager.
Anyone questioning the preternatural maturity of her songwriting would have done well to study the age demographic of last night’s crowd. Frankly, you’d have found more teenagers at a bingo convention. Jordan is writing songs for people twice her age.
In fairness, it’s easy to see what the older generation might enjoy about her music, as its touchstones are Nineties bands such as The Cranberries and Dinosaur Jr.
Moreover, there was still plenty to admire about last night: Jordan’s dextrous guitar work, for example, or Pristine’s juggernaut chorus that was bellowed along to by the crowd. And while her band — shoegazey in every sense — seemed about as likely to help out with the vocals as they were to break into the can-can, they created irresistible grooves on Slug and Heat Wave.
Ultimately, though, Jordan’s voice was the sticking point. A solo performance of Anytime should have been a showstopper; instead, you just wanted the show to stop.
Jordan is a serious talent but sounds seriously tired. She needs a break. Once she gets off the road, recharges her batteries and gets back into the studio, the results will be special.
