Eugene McGuinness - Eugene McGuinness

EUGENE MCGUINNESS
Eugene McGuinness

If it doesn’t seem very long ago you were reading a review on bobbysix of Eugene McGuinness’ rough ‘n’ ready mini-album, The Early Learnings Of Eugene McGuinness, that’s because it wasn’t. It was only late June in fact. So it’s slightly surprising to already find his first full-length effort dropping onto my desk.

Clearly adhering to the notion of striking while the iron is hot, the Brit’s debut long-player follows on directly from the teaser he gave us earlier, with his songs once again gleefully blurring musical boundaries. Backed this time by a full band, his vocal is fascinating, at times it is has a Damon Albarn quality about it, elsewhere it’s a post-punk bark or a soaring falsetto.

Arrangements on Eugene McGuinness are busy and the songs are wordy, but rather than feeling cluttered, their exuberant nature is stirring. From the rockabilly of opener Rings Around Rosa, styles jump from skiffle through barbershop to psychedelic folk-pop. The standout track though is unquestionably the beautiful, crooning, Those Old Black And White Movies Were True. Sounding like it belongs in the 1930s, it is a song which proves that, for a 22-year-old, McGuinness is an incredibly mature songwriter.

As I said in my review of The Early Learnings…, McGuinness’ music may not be as instantly accessible as some of the beige fluff the radio forces upon us, but there is depth and wit to his romantic stories of modern life. Most impressive of all though, considering how he references so many musical styles, is that he still manages to create his own distinct sound.