Album Review: Jinx Lennon, Magic Bullets Of Madness To Uplift The Grief Magnets/Past Pupil Stay Sane

Right now, it feels like all eyes on the island are aimed at Dundalk. Thanks to the David versus Goliath-like triumphs of their football team, their superb vinyl only store Classified Records and (for better or worse) the reformation of those chart-bothering siblings The Corrs, everyone is talking about the border town. So I guess it’s only right and proper that one of their most interesting, exciting and eccentric tunesmiths has now returned with not one but two albums, ending a six year wait.

For those who have missed out on the Lennon experience so far, the folk punk preacher man’s sound is best described as a brew of all the best and bizarre bits of Joe Stummer, Tom Waits, Dan Sartain and Mark E. Smith. His brace of new releases sees the iconoclast back to his best after a spell of creative unhappiness, and Magic Bullets... is heaving with ideas and stories, most of which hit the mark.

A collection of instantly catchy tunes, the record boasts collaborations with members of Liverpool indie rock/art punks Clinic and a fuller, more beat-driven sound. ‘Hard Man Soup’, which is driven by a Glitter Band stomp, is a highlight, as is the surprisingly poppy ‘Hypnotise The Sprog’. ‘10 O’Clock T Break Bollix’ is another gem, littered with biting, often hilarious lines, as Lennon takes aim at small minded, lonely smart arses, while ‘The Human Chip’ is vintage Jinx.

Past Pupil Stay Sane is a little harder to digest, and the overall impact of the album does suffer due to the sheer amount of material, but the 24-track opus is not without its charms. Sparser and more stripped back, the Salt N’ Pepa-indebted ‘Bonus Ball’ is a snotty, drum machine based riot, while the gorgeous, cracked lullaby ‘Astronauts On Anne Street’ is another joy, and ‘Blessing Of The Graves’ is hypnotic and humorous.

The Irish folk-meets-Mexican Mariachi stylings of ‘I Know My Town’ feels like a huge moment for Lennon, and is sure to become his most loved tune. Skilfully treading the tightrope between misty eyed romance and hard hitting realism, it’s a bona fide anthem that even those who don’t quite understand Jinx will adore.