Jose Gonzalez @ ABC

As a songwriter the jury is still out on unlikely Swede, Jose Gonzalez. Thus far his finest cuts have been pilfered from the back catalogues of Massive Attack, compatriots The Knife and, er, Kylie. If this notion is taken as given, it's much easier to digest and enjoy the ABC performance tonight. With Heartbeats and Teardrop, he has taken two synthetic classics, boiled them down to their most basic form, and twisted them into immaculate acoustic compositions in their own right. With Hand on Your Heart, he has salvaged acceptance for a song that would have otherwise been reserved for TMF Top 50 '80s Pop Hits. Whether this is artistry or opportunism could be debated at length, but it proffers talent and sentience which is tangible first hand, without ever being overbearing. Ironically, his lack of on-stage histrionics lends well to the theatre setting: his crystalline vocals having free reign over the vehicular acoustics; the barren stage and striking spotlights reflective of the desolation of his set. For the first few tracks he is unaccompanied, just him and his guitar. When his two band members come to the stage they add little but sparse backing vocals and light percussion. It's this returning sentiment of frugality that helps and hinders Gonzalez all at once. Before too long it's apparent that while atmospheric and melodically sound, his repertoire is limited. The album tracks from each of his two releases are okay, but it's his renowned covers people have come to hear, their adaptation suggesting a spark only hinted at in his own work. When given the tools to work with, Gonzalez can create something special. Building from the ground up however, he falls just short. [Finbarr Bermingham]