Lucky Bones

There are three, maybe four, tracks that are as good as anything I’ve heard this year.

Lucky Bones is Eamonn O’Connor and his voice is sweet and soft, exactly as you would expect from an Irish singer/songwriter but his songwriting, especially his clever use of words, definitely sets him apart from most.

The opening track sets a wonderful tone for the album as he sings of the loss of a father figure and the realisation that the path taken was not the best choice. Guitar deep in the mix is highly reminiscent of Mark Knopfler’s and the band around O’Connor drive the song with real subtlety, allowing his voice to reign.

‘Gone’ is breathtakingly lovely. Again, mourning losses and painting pictures asking what happened and where. Beautiful harmonies and a wistful soundscape that leaves the listener as mournful as the singer.

Or then you have ‘Breathe’, dark and brooding, powerful chords and expressive guitar lines, vaulting vocals and the way it develops into a massive piece just brings the listener into the piece brilliantly.

Add to those ‘Neon Morgue’ and you have more worthwhile writing than most songwriters achieve in a career.

There isn’t a bad song here, just levels of strength, but Lucky Bones has created an album worth repeated listens to – original and intriguing.