After a decade concocting singularly haunting blues-flecked pop, El Hula (essentially New Zealand ex-pat Blair Jollands) was rewarded with a central London gig and a guest list peppered with the cream of the C-list. Tara Palmer-Tomkinson and Fame Academy's David Sneddon are to be congratulated for their discerning taste, which raises the prospect of Jollands shrugging off his under-performing niche status.
That said, there is a substantial difference between facing down a handful of celebrities and actually selling records. His first album, 2001's elegant and overlooked Hotel, languished unbought in a year of Coldplay and Hear'Say. Can the new one, Violent Love, establish him as the southern hemisphere's Scott-Walker-with-a-twist-of-Jim-Morrison?
He did not get much chance to prove himself either way here. Shoehorned into a half-hour slot that allowed just seven songs, Jollands seemed acutely aware that the clock was ticking. He could have made much of his passing resemblance to Morrison, but focused instead on ploughing through the set. It was a misjudgment: the eerie, reverb-laden vein tapped by Violent Love deserved to be milked with as much drama as possible.
The opening Arena of My Soul and Gems were perfunctorily trotted through with scant regard for atmosphere. I should stress that Jollands's singing and guitar playing, both bluesily moulded by a stint in New Orleans, were up to scratch; the problem was that time contraints prevented him and the backing trio from coaxing the music into full, moody life.
They found their feet a bit during the second half. Jollands, who had hitherto been glancing apprehensively at the audience, finally relaxed into character. Wrapping delicate paws around the mic stand, he glowered satisfactorily on a violently rocky Songs of Violent Love, and by the closing Killer Landings was oozing attitude. As the song faded into the refrain, "It seems that I have fallen into you", Jollands seemed transported. So he got there in the end.
· El Hula plays the Water Rats, London, WC1 (020- 7436 7211), on Tuesday.
