There's little doubt in my mind that out of this decade's crop of musicians, Annie Clark is the one most likely to achieve long-term cult reverence. She has the style, the skills and most importantly the songs, and she's certainly not the sort to rest on her laurels. Although the Roundhouse show isn't too dissimilar to her performances earlier this year, she's tweaked some elements that didn't quite work, to the net benefit of all concerned. Although this tour she's affected a very mannered, almost robotic demeanour inspired by former touring partner David Byrne, she's loosened up a little this time round and the show is less stagey and easier to connect to as a result. Songs have been subtly reworked- "Cruel's" new synth part sounds far less watered down that it did in February, "Krokodil" is much punchier and visceral- and the setlist flows more naturally (and still includes that breathtaking, nigh-on-apocalyptic closer of "Your Lips Are Red".) In fact, if it wasn't for a fewer duller numbers from her latest album towards the end, it would have been pretty much flawless.
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