Ezra Furman and the Boy-Friends, Roundhouse, London, review: These songs, full of his anxieties, his rage, his guilt, his faith, have saved Furman

Furman dazzles on stage at the Roundhouse performing angst-ridden songs with his band, despite feeling uncomfortable with this level of success

Ezra Furman is having the most success of his career

One the one hand, it’s easy to appreciate why Ezra Furman might struggle to make sense of the occasion. “We don’t feel entitled to this kind of success” he awkwardly tells the sold out Roundhouse at his biggest ever show, one of several can’t-believe-this-is-happening asides: as a bisexual, cross dressing orthodox Jew open about his battles with depression, it’s safe to assume he’s telling the truth.

But rock history is full of those whose outsiderdom has inspired truly great work, and as his band the Boy-Friends’ captivating blitz through the very essence of rock ‘n’ roll proves once again tonight, Furman is a talent worthy of such exalted talk.

Given its Halloween - Charlotte Church’s Pop Dungeon extravaganza act as fittingly weird and wonderful support - concessions are made with pumpkins onstage, while Furman is revealed at the outset from a pink coffin, clad in long dress, trademark red lipstick and white pearls, clutching a red rose. The symbolism isn’t lost: these songs, full of his anxieties, his rage, his guilt, his faith, have saved Furman, and his sheer force of personality is such he plays them tonight with nothing else matters commitment.

Whether it be frantic late-period Velvets fury of 'Tip of a Match' or the doo-wop lament of 'Haunted Head', which finds solace in cooking an egg, the cathartic outpouring within the first few songs could be uncomfortable were it not for the fact these songs, joyous, stirring, and so damn catchy, are flat out brilliant.

The set consists predominantly of 2013 breakout album Day of the Dog and last year’s Perpetual Motion People. You can pinpoint the influences easily enough: the earliest green shoots of rock ‘n’ roll, doo-wop, garage rock, a whole lot of Jonathon Richman. But with the Boy-Friends’ help, you feel like it’s the first time you’ve ever heard Chuck Berry piano ('Anything Can Happen') or on 'Teddy I’m Ready', from this year’s Big Fugitive Life EP, grand Springsteen-esque saxophone. In fact, sax player Tim Sandusky is the Boy-Friends’ trump card: 'Body Was Made' is one of several songs he lifts triumphantly.

All the while, Furman, bandy legs apart as he batters at his oversized guitar, is a charismatic mass of energy. He might feel uncomfortable with his success, but, as with everything, he wears it well. And the truly scary thing? You get the feeling Furman’s best is yet to come.