Black Boots on Latin Feet

EZIO: “Black Boots on Latin Feet” (Arista/BMG)

Ezio Lunedei’s been having a rough time. Women have used, abused and discarded him with alarming regularity, if there’s even a shred of autobiography in what he writes. And if authenticity is measured in how many times he can tell the story once more with feeling, it sounds like Black Boots . . . comes straight from the heart.

As the album title suggests, rhythms of the Spanish kind are high on the agenda. In fact Ezio are acquainted with a creole of rhythms that more often sway than swing past the eardrums, their tardiness a necessary bolster for the formidably depressant lyrics.

Take ‘Agony’ for instance. With a refrain that insists that Agony’s got a perfect mouth there are no prizes for guessing that this pair have spent more than their fair share of time contemplating the depth and sincerity of their respective navels. Morose lyrics aside though, Black Boots . . . is replete with double jointed rhythm guitar and inventive acoustic guitar lines that are more than a tad pleasing to the ear.

The single, ‘The Further We Stretch’ contains some finely timed melody and – in fairness to their musical literacy, they manage to insert not one, but two apt and smart references to Bob Dylan and The Beach Boys within the first 60 seconds. Then again on ‘Thirty and Confused’ (there’s their market) partner Booga’s lead guitar is a smooth confident track that ushers a woeful tale to its inevitable destination.

Recorded with the vocals live, Ezio have succeeded in capturing what sounds like the essence of their 3D existence within the 2D confines of a laser beam. And for that alone they deserve a lot of credit since it’s something that many a chancer a whole lot longer in the tooth hasn’t managed to do.

Black Boots on Latin Feet is a tincture of smooth elixir for tired minds, and, maybe for the odd torn heart too. Top 40 radio listing’s dream material, it’ll sit comfortably amid a collection that already houses the likes of Level 42 and Lena Fiagbe. If that’s your particular bowl of suchi, you’ll wolf down Ezio.

• Siobhán Long