Marc O'Reilly
Album: My Friend Marx
Label: Salt & Shake
Tracks: 12
Website: www.marcoreillymusic.com

I would like to say that 'My Friend Marx', the debut album from Wexford's Marc O'Reilly, is formulaic but this has negative and even derogatory connotations. But most of the dozen tracks do follow a formula - in the same way as Johnny Cash's songs followed a formula, and John Lee Hooker's and Rory Gallagher's and there's not much negative or derogatory criticism about them.

O'Reilly's songs, regardless of subject matter, have a spine; a core running through them that gives a feeling of strength. Around this are woven little pieces of magic. The title track benefits from a string quartet 'Hail' from a choir and 'Lord Of War' from both the choir and a blistering electric guitar solo for good luck. 'Family Reunion' has a soft trumpet - 'Get Back' a harsher one and it is the trading back and forth between O'Reilly's guitar and Kate Curran's trumpet on this track that makes it my favourite on the album.

John 'The Jacket' Hawes