LISTENING TO Ted Barton's singing is like being operated on by a surgeon wielding a fork and spade, but it's there that the beauty in his performance lies. Ted's art, rant and roll, is completely pre-meditated, fully orchestrated, and, as such, executed in a manner that gleams with perfection. This crazy, screaming be-suited conductor of excitement, isn't, as first sightings would suggest, the Elephant Man of solo male vocalists. He's an entertainer, and he's good at his job.

He knows when to feign mistakes, when to growl mercilessly, and just how humble to be during his between songs patter. He knows the barrier between aural pain and pleasure and he's as happy as pie to try and push it as far as it will move. His performance is as brilliant as acne amidst a wash of expensive facial cosmetics.

It's at times like these that you bless cretinous dross, not curse it. Without record labels full of mediocre crap to show up artists as extreme as Edward would be left languishing in their kitchens.

He's painted, sung and been incorrectly introduced as 'Ted Bear' on The Tube, and he's soon to support James on their forthcoming nationwide tour. He's even appeared in Jaws. Tonight he's enjoyed an easy hometown concert to promote his debut solo single, 'Me And My Mini'.

Ted Barton has it in him to become a star. And that, for the dyslexic amongst you, is 'rats' spelt backwards.

[Reviewer: JAMES BROWN]