Box Camera’s songwriter Mike Lyons is a stalwart of the Cork music scene, having gigged there in various guises for the last 15 years, and his experience gives this album an edge absent from many of its Irish rivals.
Box Camera possesses a subtle appeal that mightn’t be evident on first listen, but be patient and the lush melodies and layered hooks begin to work their charm. The opener ‘Never Said I’ is a gorgeous statement of intent and possibly the best song that Elliott Smith never wrote. Lyons’ voice manages to be both vulnerable and defiant while the band perfectly complement each other and provide some great backing vocals that make the melody linger in your head for a long time afterwards. Indeed the band have an intuitive awareness of what instrument should be pushed to the fore, and there are several unexpected time changes in each song that only add to their appeal.
If there’s any justice, daytime radio will soon be thrilling to the lilting melodies of ‘Slings And Arrows’ and ‘Don’t Go Feeling Sad’, which manages the Beatles-esque trick of marrying melancholy lyrics to a wonderfully uplifting tune.