Cruz Beckham review – David and Victoria’s son crosses the nepo-baby tag with interesting psych-pop | Pop and rock

“M“Souvenirs,” says the person at the door, handing out a souvenir ticket to welcome fans to the Beckham Cruise show in Cardiff, England. It’s an inauspicious start, particularly in a building that’s been a monument to Welsh-language culture for decades, but once the house lights go down, there’s enough to suggest that, even if he never succeeds as a geography teacher, he can give this music thing a decent critique.

It would be easy to admire Beckham, the youngest son of David and Victoria. Already a tabloid fixture, his profile boosted by recent intra-family beefs that have opened up new seams in the content mines, his every move may be viewed with cynicism. His desire to play in clubs, “to do it the right way”? The machinations of the Prophetic prince to win the love of the masses.

However, there is an ill-advised enthusiasm about him on stage that undermines this narrative. “Bloody hell, wow,” he says after one song, messing with his hair as the half-full room applauds. “I promise I’m not an asshole,” he sings during “Tie Don’t Fit,” his voice resembling a ready-made Lee Mavers. Perhaps a bit surprising, but Beckham’s music is also all over the place in a way that reflects the difficulty of spotting things next to the crackle of light bulbs.

His first shows with his backing band, a three-piece called The Breakers, were just a few months ago, and this is his second headline gig. He’s overtly brooding, moving from Lick the Toad indie to ballads, but in the Beatles-esque riff at the heart of For Your Love — which he wrote alongside Justin Raisen and Louis Pesacov, great producers who’ve worked with Kim Gordon, Sky Ferreira, and Best Coast between them — he discovers a psych-pop that’s worthy of further investigation.

It’s present again on Wear and Tear, which throws bass into a loose mix, and Better Times, a sunny, can-hit ballad where Beckham establishes himself as a distinctive guitarist, peeling back fuzz solos that are both clever and melodically savvy. Good looking kid who can play? I’ve worked before.