30 years ago today: Revelino released their self-titled debut album

Originally published in Hot Press in 1994:

With it's icy-blue, minimalist sleeve-artwork surrounding thirteen mainly sub three-minute ditties, Revelino have produced an album of tuneful, guitar-driven pop with enough hooks, licks and grooves to mark them out as instant contenders. A new Dublin combo, risen from the ashes of The Coletranes, Revelino will simultaneously make their live debut with the release of this eponymously-titled gem. If they can cut it on stage as well as they do in the studio, they’ll have little to fear.

A host of influences permeates but doesn’t dominate their sublime tapestry and there are distinct echoes of The Beatles, Murmur-era R.E.M., (especially ‘Taking Turns’), classic Brit-pop à la Kinks and Squeeze with a nod towards The Byrds and Beach Boys in the jangly department. Ultimately though, it’s the sheer sonic urgency that impresses most — the album was recorded in just ten days, the band obviously confident in their ability to make a record on instinct.

The opener, ‘Happiness Is Mine’ – a restrained rocker with a big echoey bass and drum sound – has vocalist Brendan Tallon sounding like John Lennon on ‘Come Together’. ‘Mr Bones’ generates even more heat with a great guitar riff and ‘Hello’, the current single, is as good a calling card for their eloquent tunesmithery as anything else included here. On ‘World Going Down’, the most Kinks-like track, he even sounds like Ray Davies, and the dissonant guitar solo on ‘No Forever Girl’ lends an appropriate psychedelic edge.

Tallon writes all the songs too, and the sometimes complex chord progressions belie their straightforward, no-nonsense execution. From the pleading restraint of ‘Don’t Lead Me Down’, to the new-wavey and brilliant ‘Libertine’ he maintains a consistent standard without lapsing into formula.

The mood softens on ‘She’s Got The Face’, a wonderfully atmospheric ballad with classic status written all over it and a Crazy Horse style fuzz-tone mood creeps into ‘Slave’ and the album’s closer ‘Tonight’.

All throughout, the rhythm section is rock solid, the harmonies pristine and the songs beg for attention. Revelino — does it mean revelation in Italian? It should! Classy stuff.

Revisit Revelino below: