Foy Vance’s third album might come with the imprimatur of his good friend Ed Sheeran (it’s released on Sheeran’s own label), but in truth they have little enough in common. Musically, Vance’s approach is arguably more subtle and nuanced. Recorded in Nashville with a crack team of musicians, The Wild Swan is brimming with virtuoso playing and the singer has never sounded better.
The oddly-titled ‘Noam Chomsky Is A Soft Revolution’ is based around a futuristic rockabilly beat, with Vance channelling Creedence Clearwater’s John Fogerty. The appropriately-titled ‘Upbeat Feelgood’ finds the singer veering into Memphis soul territory, while the swampy acoustic balladry on the bluesy ‘Coco’ marks another highpoint.
Elsewhere, plaintive piano introduces ‘Bangor Town’, a gospel-tinged homage to Vance’s hometown, while the sublime, string-backed ‘Be Like You Belong’ covers similar lyrical territory. Glam tribute ‘Ziggy Looked Me In The Eye’, meanwhile, boasts a powerful vocal that almost bursts out of the speakers.
There’s no doubting that many of the songs are influenced by Vance’s fellow Ulsterman, Van Morrison. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the final track, the atmospheric ‘Wild Swans On The Lake’, which recalls Van’s collaborations with The Chieftains. Indeed, the jazzy vocal phrasing is pure Morrison. Overall, The Wild Swan is an impressive effort and should win Vance a wider audience. Out May 13.

Rating: 7/10