Brendan Monaghan
Album: Never Too Late To Come Home
Label: Brambus
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.brendanmonaghan.com

Brendan’s a respected singer-songwriter hailing from Co. Down, who’s so far released four albums on the Brambus label but has hitherto escaped my radar. On the showing of this, album number five, he’s got a definite gift for producing attractive, immediately listenable songs of a wistful, gently romantic bent, containing elements of folk, pop and rock all bound together in an accessible package that at its best brings acoustic-based folk-rock to centre-stage.

His amenable cover of Homes Of Donegal is the only trad-arr track here, and forms an apposite companion to the genial self-penned material that comprises the bulk of the remainder of the disc (a pointless cover of the Paris Sisters’ 1961 hit I Love How You Love Me is slotted in for good measure but only disrupts the flow). Brendan benefits well from Gary Aiken’s capable production, which suits his own vocal performance and involves the talents of Gary himself (guitar, keyboards, percussion), Niall McClean (fiddle), Richard Murray (bass), Colleen McCleery (whistle, banjo) and Sheila Roberts (backing vocals).

Brendan’s writing stems from simple virtues, and it’s all very clean, well presented and genuine – and will please those who like their contemporary songwriting infused with a flavour of tradition yet retaining a keen melodic sense. The downside is that those whose tastes veer towards the rootsier end of the spectrum will find much of Brendan’s music a touch bland, I fear – although the album does at least make for an undemanding and pleasant 40 minutes’ diversion.

David Kidman