Jens Lekman Live Review

Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman is back with I Know What Love Isn't, his first new album in five years, and to celebrate he played his largest ever UK show at London's Hackney Empire.

Flanked by a full band and kitted out in suit jacket and shiny white plimsoles, Lekman took the stage with a raised glass of white wine and toasted the audience of what was, he revealed, his 500th show.

Bookended by two versions of Every Little Hair Knows Your Name, the set drew heavily on tracks from the new long player and was peppered with Lekman's usual charming between song patter.

Standouts from the new crop of material included The End Of The World Is Bigger Than Love, Become Someone Else's and I Want A Pair Of Cowboy Boots - performed by a spotlit solo Jens - and the previously unheard Golden Key, which was brilliantly mixed straight into The Opposite Of Hallelujah.

Perennial favourites Black Cab and Maple Leaves made welcome appearances, whilst Pocketful Of Money led to a spine-tingling crowd singalong in place of the recorded version's Gravedigger Blues sample.

Whilst endearing, Lekman's previous hit-and-run approach to touring and releasing records has perhaps limited the size of his potential audience.

Tonight however he finished the show with a promise to keep up the momentum, and to not 'take five years to make another album' - so hopefully we can look forward to seeing, and hearing, a lot more of him again soon.

Gavin Cullen

Jens Lekman Hackney Empire setlist

Every Little Hair Knows Your Name
Become Someone Else's
I Know What Love Isn't
The End Of The World Is Bigger Than Love
Dandruff On Your Shoulder
Golden Key
The Opposite Of Hallelujah
Waiting For Kirsten
Black Cab
I Want a Pair of Cowboy Boots
The World Moves On
Maple Leaves
That's the Way Love Is
Sipping On The Sweet Nectar

Encore:
An Argument With Myself
A Postcard To Nina

Encore 2:
Pocketful Of Money
Every Little Hair Knows Your Name