(BMG Music)

Seductive folk ditties

First released independently in 2004, this debut album by Irish-Australian folkster Declan O'Rourke made a big impression across the emerald isle. Enriched with subtle string arrangements, the 2006 re-release allows a wider audience to discover his talent. The greatest promise is found among plaintive acoustic laments, such as the wispily beautiful We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea and an acapella sea shanty Marrying The Sea – Til Death Do Us Part, where O'Rourke's lilting voice is given space to display its richness. Up-tempo pop-rock numbers, on the other hand, tend to prove constricting, reducing the lilt to a frustrating drone. One exception is No Brakes, whose chiming guitar riffs could have easily leapt from Paul Kelly's Gossip record of 1986. O'Rourke is not a flashy tunester, but his heart-warming baritone and disarming lyrical musings are what ultimately allows him to seduce the listener.

STEPHEN GOODWIN

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