Levis's 5 Night Revue - Broken Records

After just a couple of minutes in the company of lovely openers Simon and Eliza, it’s impossible to be grumpy with the venue’s beer prices. A strange blend of chill-out cuts (seemingly from those magic four hours in the late 1990s when the genre blossomed, before wilting immediately into a long synthesiser solo) and exquisite jazz vocals, the exceptionally relaxed Eliza provides a perfect introduction to the night. That voice, that delightful voice, cuts across all conversations and the room lets out a collective sigh of content as we take in her goddess-like stage presence – she could quite feasibly lead the throng to The Thames, singing us into the freezing depths to our doom. As it is, she talks about moving to London from Utah and meeting Simon, before finishing up with forthcoming single ‘Upside Down’. Check them out as soon as you can.

Such a sweet beginning unfortunately gives way to tried-and-tested territories with Story One. They’re a polished band, certainly, and one who have the fans out in force, but they lack any discernible edge. Is yet more plaintive balladry really what this country needs right now? Lead singer Tom Evans has a fair set of pipes on him, so that probably warrants them joining the 'ones to watch' ranks, but when the most entertaining part of your band's set is the backing tape failing while your drummer desperately continues the beat with an inane grin a la Ashlee Simpson on Saturday Night Live, it's time to inject some excitement. In all fairness they’re unhappy about featuring only half the band tonight, but unless the missing half features Jimmy Hendrix and Sid Vicious, it probably won't make too much difference.

Thank the heavens, then, for Broken Records. This group of Edinburgh boys, blessed with that affable air seemingly contagious within the city, take to the stage with such quiet dignity that it’s hard not to suspect them of being jumped-up roadies. Until opener ‘Nearly Home’, that is, a heart-squeezer of immense grandiosity. There are highlights obvious to existing fans – ‘A Good Reason’ sees every instrument turned up to 11 – but a few lows, too: recent single ‘If The News Makes You Sad Don’t Watch It’ falls short of matching its on-record splendour, but to be honest they wipe the floor with most bands out there right now.

Suffice to conclude that you should be hearing more from Broken Records in the mainstream, sooner rather than later.