Polly is a star ascending.
After being slightly misled by an internet listing claiming Polly Paulusma is the only act performing this evening, it is with a huge grudge that I manage to tolerate a massively mediocre local band who consist of yawning electronica and shouted lyrics, and banter rife with references to Myspace and dedications to girlfriends. I won't mention the name of this band, as I couldn't translate what the singer was saying any of the times he said it. Oh the joys of Birmingham on a Saturday evening.
Yet once the petite Polly takes to the modest stage of The Sunflower Lounge things fall into place, this is why we suffer bad local bands and stuffy, cramped underground venues, to see someone share their elegant music and delightful songs. The simplicity of singer songwriters live always pleases me, there is no trickery or frills, the songs and the guitar are the only essential ingredients. Polly is also backed with a band who make the sound more full and give a good indication of what the recorded version of these songs might sound like.
Much of the material showcased is taken from Polly's forthcoming album 'Fingers and Thumbs', including recent single 'The Woods', described by the lady herself as "creepy folk mosh". Yet the set is book ended by songs from her 2004 debut 'Scissors in My Pocket', with 'I Was Born to Love You' as the opener and the lovely 'She Moves in Secret Ways' performed as the encore. Overall the more recent songs seem more sparse and emotionally wrought than their predecessors, something Polly has attributed to the current climate politically and socially, as well as a result of her own struggles in the last few years. In particular what she describes as her response to the glut of anti-war songs is touching, her voice soaring over references to the Twin Towers. Although such ground has already been well covered, the sincerity brimming from the song makes it a worthy attempt to make sense of ongoing world problems.
Live Polly Paulusma is disarmingly genuine and hugely likeable, her songs sounded textured and true and packed to the brim with sheer likeability. I'm sure I'm not alone in leaving this gig full of anticipation for her new album, and despite the self-deprecating jokes about how every time she plays in Birmingham the venue gets smaller, Polly must have left knowing her core of fans treasure her music very much indeed.