Before you read this, you might want to know that something like 1000 people left this show thinking the exact opposite to me - that's if their immediate reactions on the floor were anything to go by.  

Nothing's changed on the Snout front: four tours in as many months and we at this Snout-dedicated publication still love 'em. Besides, you can never hear 'Got Sold On Heaven' too many times. Tonight, they head for the bombastic rock approach and, aside from a delay to replace a broken bass string (yes, Ross McLennan really was going for it!), put on as good a hip-pop show as any. When Snout blur genres, it makes perfect sense.  

After years of making their name with some of the finest swamp rock ever publicly broadcast, The Cruel Sea are extending their vocabulary with a melange of dub, reggae and eastern dirges. It's as though they've tried to modernise with Over Easy, to avoid genre classification in the post-Odelay age. Good on them for being adventurous enough to try, but even a room full of dancing, singing, Tex-crazy fans can't convince me they're pulling it off.  

With the meandering between musical styles has come a loss of focus and, consequently, a loss of potency. They're clearly more interested in embellishment than in letting their classic rolling riffs speak for themselves. The Cruel Sea - and it's probably held true since the crossover success of The Honeymoon Is Over - seem to be more about schtick than songs.  

Perkins' Cave-esque finger-pointing has evolved into R&B style cliched hand sweeps - perhaps a logical accompaniment to groove-based music, but nevertheless leaves me with visions of Tex wearing baggy pants and clutching his 'nads on the next tour. Just as likely to stand by the drum riser and tap a tambourine as he is to howl into the mike about a scary character walking the back streets, he's taking a less dominating role on stage.  

After dealing for years with a reputation which precedes him, Perkins continues to tear off his tough-talkin' persona to reveal a soft centre. Still, after we endured him making poor excuses for his maleness on Three Legged Dog, watching him place his hand over his heart and beseech us not to sell our love too cheap really is a bit much, don't you think?