Here’s an opening line for you: Alan Swanwick has hit the jackpot with his meticulously crafted debut album Astronaut. Heart-wrenching lyrics about grief and the human instinct to keep moving forward through difficult times meet soulful melodies and big guitar sounds – and it’s all wrapped up in Swanwick’s deep, tender vocals.

The record opens on a high with ‘Repo Man’, the first of ten songs that delve into the complexity of human emotions. “Time’s a healer, time’s a thief… You know what you want, you know what you need,” Swanwick sings as he reflects on his own past.

From ‘Tick Tick Tock’ to ‘Roll & Tumble’ and the title track ‘Astronaut’, the songwriter invites the listener along on a transformative journey. ‘Heave Ho’, a slower, more sombre number lets his husky voice shine, while the LP’s first single ‘Howl On’ nut-shells the album’s beautiful mix of classical, folk, metal and rock influences.

Throughout, the lyrics are strikingly honest, critical and at times even provocative. “Rock and roll will save your soul / I God damn swear,” Swanwick sings on ‘Howl On’, brfore concluding. “The big machine will eat the soul… The machine don’t care.”

Rich in life experience as well as sonic diversity, and featuring some of West Cork’s finest musicians, Astronaut proves to be an exciting first offering that leaves you yearning for more.