Friday 22/09/06 M. Craft @ ICA, London

The suburban-semi lighting arrangements on stage are almost too perfectly suited to the performance tonight: ironic in a dull way they highlight the background-y nature of the music. M. Craft’s approach often seems a little apathetic or lethargic, in a live setting this can come across as dreary and bland. Tasteful retro stylings undermine the other, simpler numbers with their 60’s dreamy psychedelia and the cutesy clarinet and xylophone only serve to annoy when everything gets a little Nouvelle Vague.  The more honest singer-songwriter tracks on Silver and Fire reveal a little more heart and soul, their subtlety is conveyed well and this hints at a more talented writer than the bossa nova backed numbers allow.

The association with King Creosote has offered the press an excuse for some lazy labelling and M. Craft has been identified with the alternative folk fraternity, if anything tonight proves this couldn’t be farther from the truth- too slick and pop-perfect by far, like an Aussie Kings of Convenience. Overall, the impression is of the kind of music for those who read Wallpaper from cover to cover and match their record collection to their veneer coffee tables. As often found at an ICA night, taste reigns over depth.