Album Review: Thomas Walsh, The Rest Is History

Veteran Thomas Walsh has been on the scene ever since he was (unintentionally) branded as Pugwash by Hot Press in the '90s - releasing nine studio albums under the moniker.

His '60s/'70s brand of pop songwriting has built him a dedicated following, with many of his heroes, like Brian Wilson, Jeff Lynne, and Dave Gregory, amongst his admirers.

After being nudged by longtime musical collaborator Neil Hannon to shed the pseudonym, Walsh returns with a superb full-length offering. While it's evident that the Dubliner dips his quill into the psychedelic palettes of the past, The Rest Is History is far from anachronistic.

Each song boasts exquisite modern production. Pounding drum fills, descending basslines, and Magical Mystery Tour-style harmonies characterise the record, which also boasts its fair share of irresistible melodies. The album is further elevated by some world-class Abbey Road musicians, who provide delicate strings on bittersweet closer 'We Knew'. There's an exotic eastern flavour to proceedings too, with the grooves on 'Love Is A Circumstance' and 'Born Of Kamchatka' evocative of Shankar Jaikishan scores.

Thematically, there's an overarching air of positivity, thanks to the arrangements on tunes like 'A Good Day For Me' and 'Taking Your Time'.

It's not all hippyish sensibility though. Both 'All This Hurt' - featuring Def Leppard's Joe Elliott - and 'Another Lesson In Life', while upbeat, suggest a songwriter who's had to overcome serious personal demons. Really making the LP stand out is Walsh's voice. Distinct and soaring, he ebbs between melodies and lines with soothing ease. While most artists' voices might show signs of corrosion after 10-plus albums, the Dubliner has evidently gone in the opposite direction.

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