Of the 7 tracks on this album – recorded at the studio of Andrew Bush, sometime 13th Note soundman and De Rosa member – each contains a gravel-voiced and rambled monologue. Which description may suggest, with the second coming of Tom Waits, a whisky-soaked late-night bar-room set of tunes. And yes, the songs that M Donnelly (we assume) produces have that quality, but comparisons with Mr Waits – or anyone else really – can be tempered there. “Good evening friends, and welcome in to broken skin on broken skin” goes ‘These Hands’ while ‘Swallows’ is similarly cheerless lyrically. Even the titles are mini-poems in themselves – ‘Catholic Boys in the Rain’ perhaps the most telling, prefacing as it does an ambiguous tale of years (possibly) wasted on higher matters. However, it’s the depth of songwriting which makes these wallows in the depths worth the effort – from the nicely-orchestrated washing sounds on ‘Virgin’s Lullaby’ to bigger almost apocalyptic feel on closer ‘Those Hands’.
Those glossy mags always end their reviews with the advice “for fans of” so let’s do that – Bonnie Prince Billy, Will Oldham… stating the obvious really, so you should really be the judge… http://www.thesavingsandloan.net