Everywhere

GREG TROOPER AND THE FLATIRONS: “Everywhere” (CBM)

ORIGINALLY FROM New Jersey and now based in Brooklyn, New Yorker Greg Trooper has already forged a couple of significant Irish links. Maura O’Connell has recorded one of his songs (`Ireland’) and his albums are now licensed to Irish independent record label, Cross Border Media, for Europe. Last December Trooper played a couple of well-received dates at Whelan’s in Dublin and he’s due back for some more dates in the near future.

Trooper’s songs have been recorded by country stalwarts like Joe Ely and Vince Gill as well as Billy Bragg. While his music is not exactly groundbreakingly original in its approach or setting, it’s nonetheless good, rootsy stuff. Trooper deals basically in American music – not quite country, not quite rock but straddling the borders of both with an assuredness that’s shored up by solid songwriting and some tasty playing by his backing band, The Flatirons.

His voice is reminiscent of Marc Cohn (`Walking in Memphis’) with hints of Steve Forbert, and the Flatirons come across like John Cougar Mellencamp’s sometimes ragged combo.

Highlights are `So Far To Go’ with its up-front sweep of acoustic guitar textures and `I Thought I Was’, which was co-written by Trooper and country star Steve Earle. The title track, `Everywhere’, is the song that makes the most impression and the one with the simplest arrangement, most memorable melody and most direct lyrics.

Trooper is joined by Roseanne Cash on backing vocals on a couple of tracks and helping out on production duties is fellow New Jersey resident, Gary Tallant, the former bass player with Springsteen’s E-Street Band. It all adds up to a solid and engaging offering which should win Trooper lots of new fans.

Expect to hear more from this trooper in the future.

• Colm O’Hare