The Hype: Sadly, pretty low. Had Kate Nash’s set taken place six months earlier, and not at a Q magazine party on a Saturday afternoon in the marble-tiled mezzanine of the posh Driskill Hotel, there probably would’ve been a line around the block. But she’s done the rounds in America a couple of times now, and it’s sad to say that the majority of us aren’t buying what she’s selling. Seems we like our pop stars incredibly blond, oft-pregnant and rehab-bound.

The Show: Nash took the stage clutching an acoustic guitar and went right into a new song, “Pickpocket,” which she claimed she’d just written. That was followed by strummy, hushed versions of songs like “Birds” and “D–khead,” from last year’s Made of Bricks, and another brand-new one, a lengthy, complex stunner called “Don’t You Want to Share the Guilt.” Of course, the subtlety of her acoustic numbers was somewhat drowned out by the constant din of partygoers’ conversations, something she seemed painfully aware of, sighing audibly between songs and staring daggers through the loudmouths at the back of the room at every possible minute. Nonplussed, she switched to the keyboard for a jaunty take on “Foundations” (a song I named as one of 2007’s Best in my year-end column) before removing her shoes — not clear why — for a version of her latest single, “Merry Happy/Little Red,” and before you could blink, she was gone.

The Verdict: Look, it was hardly the ideal place for a show (note to party planners: marble reflects sound in really unpleasant ways), and Nash understandably looked like there were about a million places she’d rather be, but that didn’t mean that the gig didn’t still have its charms. And If anyone bothered to listen, they’d realize that Nash — who’s not yet 21 — is quietly and quickly turning into one of the most gifted and witty songwriters of her generation. “Share the Guilt,” with it’s long, breakneck narrative and frank and funny inter-song dialogues, is particularly good.

Keep checking in with You R Here for more South by Southwest coverage throughout the festival, plus there’s plenty more over on our sister blog, MTV News’ Newsroom.

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