Capable of being as sombre as a Sunday afternoon in with Leonard Cohen and as rowdy as a Friday night out with The Pogues, Two Gallants' brand of literate folk-punk is not for the faint-hearted.

Last night's show at Koko proved that, while the San Franciscan duo are few in number, they still pack a considerable punch when it comes to live performance.

Despite What You've Been Told, the stand-out track from their recently released self-titled album, showcased guitarist and vocalist Adam Stephens's penchant for poison-flecked songwriting. "You are just a substitute for the one that I hold dear," he barked, sounding like Bob Dylan at his most acidic.

Las Cruces Jail shared the same reckless spirit as Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison, while the austere beauty of Fly Low Carrion Crow (announced by Stephens as "a very quiet, happy song"), evoked images of boundless prairies and star-studded skies.

Tyson Vogel's syncopated, supple drumming ensured that the bass wasn't missed, while his flailing limbs and unruly hair provided an entertaining percussive sideshow.

The band that took its name from a James Joyce short story was suitably wordy in Waves of Grain, a nine-minute, harmonica-gilded epic.

Not for the faint-hearted, but a joy for the rest of us.