Kingfishr. Halcyon. Irish eyes must be smiling right now. Limerick trio Kingfishr positively sparkle with world-conquering potential. Born from traditional Irish folk, they write confident anthemic indie numbers with choruses larger than the mythical giant Finn McCool on stilts.
Their energy is infectious and there’s a timeless quality to guitarist Eddie Keogh’s warm, powerful baritone. Formed in 2022 by Eddie, Eoghan ‘McGoo’ McGrath (banjo and vocals) and Eoin ‘Fitz’ Fitzgibbon (bass and vocals) they recently topped Ireland’s Top Ten with Fitz’s beautiful folky ballad Killeagh, a paean to East Cork’s hurlers: ‘When my time’s at an ending, when my days are no more, bury me with my Hurley by the river Dissour’.
These 16 confident tracks range from driving opener Man On The Moon to the sweeping Diamonds & Roses which manages to sound both trad and contemporary. There are faint echoes of Snow Patrol, Mumford & Sons and The Waterboys’ “Big Music”, yet their sound is their own – rich, rewarding and loaded with lyrical intelligence. Gems include 21, Gloria and Next To Me – a sublime love song crying out for a country interpretation. “I can’t buy you fancy diamond rings or houses by the sea,” croons Eddie. “All I have to offer is the beating in my chest, cracks around the edges and my word, I’ll do my best…” Take it from me, that will change. With the boisterous Mary Wallopers and the serene Amble, new wave Irish folk is blooming.
CMAT. Euro-Country. Hailing from nearer Dublin, CMAT marries chatty lyrics with lush country-flecked pop, and humour with tragedy. Stand-outs include the sad but catchy title track – ‘I was 12 when the das started killing themselves’ she sings referencing the collapse of the “Celtic tiger” economy. Other songs deal with the pressures modern women face including the misogyny of on-line trolls and sky-high beauty standards on Take A Sexy Picture Of Me, sharp social commentary disguised as cheery pop. A huge talent.
Sabrina Carpenter. Man’s Best Friend. Her super-confident seventh albums builds on her previous successes, cementing Sabrina’s claim to modern superstardom. Working again with Short n’ Sweet producer Jack Antonoff and songwriter Amy Allen, the kid from Quacker Town delivers a terrific set of playful synth-pop with a strong vein of humour and a sly sprinkling of introspection. Stand-out songs include the groovy banjo-tinged Manchild with lines like ‘Did you just say you’re finished? Didn’t know we started’, and We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night. The triumphant closing anthem Goodbye includes the line ‘Forgive my French but **** you.’
Wolf Alice. The Clearing. Ellie Rowsell and co search for meaning while drawing on 70s & 80s pop. The Sofa surfs close to Carole King, opening ballad Thorns is infused with McCartney DNA, Kate Bush meets Blondie on Bloom Baby Bloom…elsewhere there are echoes of ELO. They sound least like Wolf Alice on Just Two Girls’ polished retro-pop. For now, guitars are out, strings are in.
Belinda Carlisle. Once Upon A Time In California. Belinda pays homage to the music of her Golden State childhood on these ten covers. Her choices range from a poignant take on Gordon Lightfoot’s If You Could Read My Mind to Bacharach & David’s Anyone Who Had A Heart which has the attack of Cilla Black’s version. Other gems include The Hollies’ The Air That I Breathe and (boldly) The Carpenters’ Superstar. She climaxes with an irresistible cover of Marmalade’s Reflections Of My Life, Top 3 for the Glasgow band in 1969.
The Beths. Straight Line Was A Lie. The New Zealand indie rockers peak on Take, a propulsive slice of poppy joie de vivre. The vibrant songs are often subverted by their lyrics. On Metal, all jangling guitars and snappy snares, singer Elizabeth Stokes sums up herself, and in the process humanity, as just a collaboration of “bacteria, carbon and light”. Plaintive Mother, Pray For Me, is about Stokes understanding herself.