Album Review: Ultan Conlon, Only

Spinning this record is akin to having Ultan Conlon perform a snug show just for you; such is the intimacy of the album. Featuring songs from his first two albums Bless Your Heart and Songs Of Love So Cruel, as well as the adorable ‘Penny Sweets’, Only marvellously showcases Conlon’s brilliant songwriting, stripped as the tracks are of shiny production, leaving just his guitar and voice.

It’s more than enough. ‘The Universe Tune’ is worth the price of entry alone, a cosmic love song to lose your heart to, while sonic bedfellow ‘The Will’ charts the precarious path to gaining it back. ‘The Lumberjack’ is tremendous raw rockabilly that logs young love, innocent yearning – and damn gooseberries!

‘Lonely Avenues’ is a masterclass in less-is-more, so shout out to Jason O’Looney of Ahascragh on recording, mixing and mastering duties. Mind you, Ultan does, you feel, make it easy.

Elsewhere, ‘Bristlecone Pines’ and ‘Vessel’ are a pair of masterful melodic folk bangers illustrating that Conlon came out of the box readymade. Mighty stuff indeed.

9/10