Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter @ Captain's Rest, 19 April

While it may have taken 2007’s Like, Love, Lust and the Open Halls of the Soul (not to mention the Southern Lord signing which went hand in hand with that release) for Jesse Sykes to make her mark outside of the States, no one can deny the emotional resonance that she has exhibited ever since her ’02 debut. Tonight her voice is even more huskily enticing, and the riffs shine brighter.

It’s not just Sykes’ voice, formidable though it is; there's Bill Herzog’s narcotising bass, no doubt a pleasure to listen to for hours unaccompanied, Then there's Eric Eagle’s loosely interconnected cymbals and tom rolls, adhering more closely to circadian rhythms than musical norms. And let's not forget Phil Wandscher's full-pelt guitar solos.

Sykes' strengths are threefold, however. Not only is she a competent guitarist, and her voice capable of expressing fragility through to wilful self-assuredness, but her songwriting is a compelling thing of its own. Not only are there notes of the Americana that she began her career with, but tonight focuses heavily on this year’s Marble Son, a resolutely grounded take on the 60s sound that eschews bleary-eyed optimism for soulful story-telling. A naturally heartening performance. [David Bowes]