It’s not every day you come across an album of songs based around a cast of historical characters as diverse as Isaac Newton, Dion Boucicault, Marie Lloyd, Frank Harris, Colonel Thomas Blood, Marlene Dietrich, Svengali, Claude Debussy, Napper Tandy and Rabbie Burns! But then, The Popgun Plot are not your everyday kind of band.
The Dublin-based trio have been making their own distinctive brand of charming, chiming, indie pop for a few years now and this infectiously enjoyable debut (which includes the catchy single ‘Lemonade Man’) serves up a nice blend of spiky tunes, clever wordsmithery and jangly guitars. Taking their influences from a range of ‘80s acts including Microdisney, Aztec Camera, Orange Juice, Prefab Sprout and The Go Betweens, there is a definite Smiths feel in the Johnny Marr guitar department. Highlights include ‘Isaac the Alchemist’, ‘Supermodel’ and the ‘Mr. Debussy’. Well worth a listen.
COLM O’HARE