Chroma
Domino/EMI
Eugene McGuinness has Irish heritage but when listening to his music there can be no doubt that he is firmly entrenched in the culture of England, where he has spent most of his life. His latest album opens with a riff that would be familiar to anyone that has had half an ear to The Beatles Day Tripper, and although his most derivative, Chroma could be the best McGuinness album yet.
McGuinness has a confident voice without being brash, and while it is inoffensive enough, there is nothing in his tone that sets him apart from his countrymen. Where McGuinness is most adventurous is his penchant to never stick with one style for too long. Much is rooted in the ‘60s, but the sequencing and sense of cohesion is almost non-existent.
Despite I Drink Your Milkshake being a collection of some pretty inane lyrics, it is still one of the album’s high points due to its somewhat angular and rhythmic verses coupled with a sugary and agreeable chorus.
Eugene McGuinness has been one of those artists that has been lauded by the critics and relatively ignored by the public. Chroma is a step in the right direction, but it looks like the public might be fighting on the right side this time.
CHRIS HAVERCROFT
