"I'm handcuffed to a fence in Mississippi. My girlfriend blows a boozy goodbye kiss. I see flying squirrels and nightmares of stigmata... Everything is peaches but the cream."

This was fairly typical of the lyrics music lovers were tapping their toes to at the Bar Academy - the Carling Academy's smallest venue space - last Wednesday. Jim White was in town and he was on fine form.

I first came across this softly-spoken, fiercely intelligent, gentle American via the documentary Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus.

White paints pictures and tells stories that allow the listener to judge about the complexities of contemporary Southern life.

This is also what White achieves so exquisitely in his music. His is a gifted storyteller, each song a bitter-sweet Southern vignette, at once captivating, vaguely unnerving, mournful yet suffused with hope.

The understated beauty of a song like Still Waters was only partially marred by the baseline thud coming from the Fuzzy Ducks night in the main venue.

Much to his credit and composure, White continued to ecstatic applause and, between songs, enthralled us with witty anecdotes and insights.

Jim White is a gasp of fresh bayou air. His album Transnormal Skiperoo is released on Luakabop.

by CLAIRE SPINKS