Echoboy is Richard Warren, accompanied by a small number of extra musicians for live purposes.  Releasing his eponymous first album on Point Blank in 1999, Echoboy soon signed to Mute Records, swiftly bringing out a further two albums ('Volume 1' and 'Volume 2', logically enough) as well as the limited edition '46:54:00', an "interesting" one-track cut and paste of improvisations taken from live recordings.  These albums sealed Echoboy's reputation as experimental, quirky, catchy and often difficult listening.  That some tracks wandered off into between 10 and 20 minutes in length often meant that the real compositional gems were left quietly undisturbed in the middle of little-known albums.  Tunes like the debut album's 'Signs' hinted at an underlying songwriting core, that has at last emerged in 2003 with the almost faultless 'Giraffe' album.

The new album features ten songs: proper songs, all produced by Flood (responsible for producing Depeche Mode's landmark 'Violator' album among many, many others).  As much as Echoboy's experimental tunes can be gotten used to given time, you can't help but revel in the clear, precise production and fine song arrangements.  And revel we do this evening.  Although The Joiners is only half-full tonight, Echoboy remain focused and professional throughout.  'Giraffe' is played in its entirety, and even though the songs rely heavily on samplers and sequencers, the songs are given a band-feel, while retaining much of the technological edge present on the album.  Recent single 'Automatic Eyes', for example still contains its distinctive and slightly disturbing pitch-shift effected low backing vocals.

It has to be highlighted just how well-mixed the set is.  Whether due to this small venue's acoustics, or a sound engineer with a keen ear, each sonic layer of every song is clear and audible, with the vocals balanced nicely over the top of it all.  Also touching on a handful of earlier albums' previous singles, the show has a typical New Order/Joy Division crossbreed sound to it, underpinned by some spot-on disco drumming.  Highlight of the set (and album) has to be the mammoth 'Wasted Spaces', currently only issued in single form on a promotional 12 inch, surely this beast of a song deserves some form of radio editing, and a proper single released on Mute.  It truly is an undiscovered classic and - like much of tonight's material - sounds better live than on its recorded counterpart.

In a true and just society, television's popstar idol programmes would have contestants like Richard Warren - all battling it out to see who can write and perform the most original songs on their own.  In a less than just world, we shall have to remain in these small, backroom venues and hope for better recognition for talents such as this.

Review: Andrew Morrison